ESG 'Social' audits highlighted for Caribbean firms
Dawgen Global shared guidance this week on auditing the 'Social' pillar—covering supplier social compliance, workforce data, DEI and community impact—as pressure rises on Caribbean organizations to prove local benefits. The focus matters for resorts that rely on regional suppliers and face international scrutiny.
Dawgen published) its Social‑pillar audit guidance on March 15, 2026, labeling the “S” as the region’s most measurement‑challenged and audit‑sensitive ESG domain. The guidance maps) specific GRI Standards — GRI 401, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 413 and 414 — and prescribes documentary evidence such as HRIS extracts, payroll records, contractor agreements and training logs. Dawgen flags) tourism and agriculture as Caribbean economic anchors whose supply‑chain and community linkages are already drawing scrutiny from international buyers, investors and development‑finance institutions. Major hotel chains have moved to reduce supplier scope: Marriott set) targets to collect sustainability data from top‑10 category suppliers by end‑2023 and from all centrally contracted suppliers by end‑2025, while Hilton’s Responsible Sourcing policy permits) unannounced third‑party supplier assessments. Dawgen illustrates) the commercial downside with a case example of an agro‑processor losing a ~US$22 million export contract for failing to produce credible ESG evidence, signalling similar revenue risk for resorts tied to non‑audited regional suppliers. For supplier assurance, commonly used audit methodologies like SMETA exist), and Dawgen advises) auditors to benchmark supplier checks against the UN Guiding Principles and ILO Core Conventions when validating social compliance.
