Yes, a person can hold both roles, as an SIA assessor and an MSPO auditor, but not for the same organisation. An SIA assessor shall not be involved in auditing an organisation they have conducted the SIA for, and vice versa. This is to ensure objectivity and avoid any conflict of interest. This is clearly stated in Clause 6.3 of the MSPO SIA Procedure “The SIA assessor shall not be involved in auditing the same organisation for which they have conducted the SIA.”

No. Only the scheme owner (MSPO) is authorised to conduct training for external assessors. SIA trainers, including those involved in internal trainings or TTT programmes, are not qualified to train or endorse external assessors. This is reinforced in Clause 6.2 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “Training for external SIA assessors shall only be conducted by the scheme owner.”

The key boundary is in the roles and independence of each function: (i) An SIA assessor is responsible for conducting the Social Impact Assessment and preparing the SIA report for an organisation. (ii) An MSPO auditor is responsible for evaluating the implementation of the MSPO standard, including verifying the SIA report during the audit. To ensure impartiality, the same person cannot assess and audit the same organisation. This is stated in Clause 6.3 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “The SIA assessor shall not be involved in auditing the same organisation for which they have conducted the SIA.”

Yes. competency follows the individual, not the company. If the person has successfully completed the MSPO Basic SIA Training and meets the criteria outlined in Clause 6.3 of the MSPO SIA Procedure, they can conduct SIA for the new company as an internal assessor, provided they are now part of that organisation. However, they cannot conduct SIA for the company as an external assessor, unless they are formally endorsed by MSPO for that role. In summary: (i) Yes, if they join the new company and act as internal assessor (ii) No, if they are not employed by the company and wish to act as an external assessor (must be endorsed)

No. Only the scheme owner (MSPO) is authorised to conduct training for external assessors. ETPs are only allowed to conduct training for internal assessors, such as the Basic SIA Training or Awareness Training. Training for external assessors, including the Endorsed SIA Assessor pathway, is strictly under the responsibility of the scheme owner. This is aligned with Clause 6.2 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “Training for external SIA assessors shall only be conducted by the scheme owner.”

Yes, as long as all the subsidiaries fall under the same legal organisation or MSPO certification scope, the HQ-based assessors are considered internal assessors and can conduct SIA across all relevant units. However, if any of the subsidiaries are certified separately under a different legal entity, then assessors from HQ would be classified as external, and must be formally endorsed by MSPO to carry out the assessment. In summary: (i) Same legal organisation = Internal assessor (ii) Different legal entity = External assessor (must be endorsed)

It depends on the organisational relationship: (i) If the POM and the estate or dealer are part of the same legal organisation or certification scope, then the assessor is considered internal. (ii) If they are from different organisations, even if under the same parent group, then the assessor is considered external, and must be formally endorsed by MSPO as an external assessor. The classification is based on organisational boundaries, not physical proximity or ownership group.

Not necessarily. If the SIA was conducted before the MSPO SIA Guideline was released, the company does not need to redo it from scratch. However, the existing report must go through a gap analysis using the SIA Guidelines and Approach for the MSPO Standards. If any gaps are identified, the report must be revised accordingly to align with MSPO expectations. This requirement is explained in Clause 6.1 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “For organisation with an existing SIA report, they need to do gap analysis between the existing report with the SIA Guidelines and Approach for MSPO Standards document… and close the gaps by revising the SIA report, if any.”

Yes, the SIA Guidelines and Approach for the MSPO Standards provide clear guidance for conducting SIA assessments, including for large companies with multiple subsidiaries or operating units. The guideline outlines: (i) A step-by-step process for conducting SIA (ii) Tools such as checklists and templates (iii) Guidance on stakeholder engagement, impact identification, and reporting However, at the end of the day, what determines how the SIA should be conducted and reported is the certification scope of the entity. Even if a company has multiple subsidiaries, each certified entity must have its own SIA assessment, consistent with how it is being audited under MSPO.

At present, the MSPO SIA Procedure does not include a dedicated infographic to help organisations determine their SIA assessment scope. However, MSPO acknowledges the value of visual guidance, especially for entities with complex structures, and plans to include a decision-making diagram in the next revision of the SIA Procedure. This will assist users in identifying whether they fall under individual or group assessment, and what type of report is required. In the meantime, organisations are encouraged to refer to Clause 3.1 of the MSPO SIA Procedure for scope-related decisions, or consult the MSPO Secretariat directly for clarification.

It depends on the certification scope: (i) If the entities are certified individually, then each one must have its own SIA report. (ii) If the entities are certified under a group certification, each entity’s assessment must still be reported separately, even if compiled in a single document, just like in Q9. This is specified in Clause 3.1.4 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “For group assessments, the SIA report must be prepared individually for each organisation.” MSPO certification structure, if it’s a group, reports must be separated by entity

Each entity under group certification or with separate MPOB licences must have its own SIA assessment and report. However, if the organisation prefers to compile all reports into one document, this is allowed, as long as each entity’s assessment is presented separately and clearly. This applies even if: (i) The entities are under the same management; (ii) The entities operate at the same physical site; (iii) Or the certification is conducted as a group audit What matters is that each entity is audited individually, and the report must reflect each entity’s own stakeholder engagement and risk profile. This is aligned with Clause 3.1.4 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “For group assessments, the SIA report must be prepared individually for each organisation.”

An external assessor may support a company by providing informal guidance or coaching to help build internal understanding of the SIA process. However, this does not count as formal competency training under MSPO requirements. To be recognised as a competent internal assessor, the individual must meet the requirements outlined in Clause 6.3 of the MSPO SIA Procedure. This is outlined in Clause 6.1 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “The organisation’s internal assessor should be competent… The competency of the internal assessor should refer to clause 6.3.”

Yes, the SIA report can still be used. However, the company must first conduct a gap analysis to compare the existing report against the current SIA Guidelines and Approach for the MSPO Standards. If any gaps are identified, the report must be revised accordingly. This requirement is outlined under Clause 6.1 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “For organisation with an existing SIA report, they need to do gap analysis between the existing report with the SIA Guidelines and Approach for MSPO Standards document, developed by the scheme owner, and close the gaps by revising the SIA report, if any.”

The original SIA report can be revised and updated to address any gaps identified during the gap analysis. A completely new report is not required unless the gaps are significant and cannot be integrated clearly. This is outlined in Clause 6.1 of the MSPO SIA Procedure: “…close the gaps by revising the SIA report, if any.”

No, it is not necessary to prepare a separate formal report for the gap analysis. Instead, any identified gaps can be directly addressed by revising the existing SIA report. This is clarified in Clause 6.1 of the MSPO SIA Procedure, which states: “…close the gaps by revising the SIA report, if any. Auditors are subjected to verify the SIA report during the MSPO audit.”

Yes, the checklist provided in the SIA Guidelines and Approach for the MSPO Standards can be used as a tool to guide your gap analysis. It helps identify whether all required components are addressed in your existing SIA report. However, it is important to follow the checklist properly and thoroughly, as it reflects the minimum requirements expected under the MSPO framework. This aligns with Clause 6.1 of the MSPO SIA Procedure, which states: “…they need to do gap analysis between the existing report with the SIA Guidelines and Approach for MSPO Standards document… and close the gaps by revising the SIA report, if any.”

The current SIA Procedure document does not yet include an infographic. However, MSPO recognises the importance of clear visual guidance, and an infographic will be included in the next revision of the procedure to help users better understand the SIA process. In the meantime, users may refer to Appendix 1 of the SIA Guidelines and Approach for the MSPO Standards, which provides a simple process flow as a reference.