But who are the people behind this work?
And can they tell us what actually goes on behind the factory door?

A Typical Day in the Life of an Independent Auditor 

Long before a product ever reaches the shop floor, there’s a whole world behind the scenes making sure it’s produced responsibly. For Mujtaba Hussain, that world starts early – thousands of kilometres from PUMA’s headquarters – inside factories, warehouses and production sites across global supply chains. 

No two days are the same. But the structure is clear.

First: Setting the Tone 

A typical audit day starts with conversations. Before any documents are opened or factory floors inspected, Mujtaba meets with site management to agree on the scope, standards and expectations of the audit. 

Mujtaba’s audits can cover a wide range of topics, from working hours and wages to health and safety, environmental management and human rights. The standards combine international frameworks, local labour laws and brand-specific requirements.

On the Ground 

Once the introductions are done, it’s time for the detailed work. Mujtaba reviews records, inspects facilities and – most importantly – speaks directly with workers. 
Worker interviews are critical for Mujtaba, he says. “Speaking to workers directly provides a more accurate picture of actual working conditions.”

During this procedure, Mujtaba looks for indications of excessive overtime, gaps in documentation, limited training or weak safety procedures, all issues that would be in breach of PUMA’s guidelines.

Alongside these findings, he also keeps a close eye out for what PUMA defines as zero‑tolerance issues, such as child labour or forced labour. Any such violation results in the immediate failure of an audit. For new factories within the supply chain, this means they will not be allowed to produce PUMA goods, and for existing suppliers, all zero‑tolerance issues must be remedied. If existing suppliers do not manage to remediate these within 6 months, this will result in PUMA terminating the business relationship with them. 

“The commitment of the factory’s management plays a critical role,” he adds. “Sustained improvement depends on leadership prioritising compliance, accountability and continuous improvements.” Across the industry, social compliance requirements and customer codes of conduct are now more clearly defined, better understood and more consistently applied than  in the past. 

These improvements reflect the impact of repeated audits, alongside the high compliance expectations of large global brands like PUMA and evolving industry standards more broadly. 

Finally: Turning Findings into Action 

Audits don’t end with a checklist. After gathering and verifying evidence, findings are evaluated against the relevant standards. At the end of the day, Mujtaba presents the results to the factory management in a closing meeting and informs PUMA if the factory meets the brand’s standards.

If needed, Mujtaba and the supplier develop a corrective action plan to initiate further improvements. While auditors remain independent, they play a crucial role in ensuring expectations are clearly understood.

“A typical corrective action plan includes a clear description of the findings, the relevant legal standard reference, a root cause analysis, who will be responsible for implementing the improvement, as well as a target completion date and follow up comments with a close out date.”

Such action plans ensure that both brands and suppliers alike follow through with their promises.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Auditing 

The future of auditing is evolving fast.

“Auditing will become more technology-enabled and risk-based,” Mujtaba predicts, “With a stronger focus on supporting improvement at site level rather than being purely compliance driven.” 

Technology is already reshaping how audits are conducted.

“Cloud-based platforms can support collaboration across multi-site audits, real-time data improves risk-based decision-making and continuous monitoring, and AI-enabled tools help streamline manual processes and reduce the risk of errors. These tools work hand in hand with auditing expertise – both within audit firms and in partnership with client site teams – to ensure insights are applied effectively and audit outcomes remain robust and credible.” Mujtaba adds.

The Bigger Picture 

What keeps you motivated after years in the field? For Mujtaba, motivation comes from both impact and the discovery that each new audit brings.

“Each audit provides insight into different cultures and industries, as well as management system standards, which keeps my work challenging and meaningful. Knowing that my work supports transparency, accountability and responsible business practices across global supply chains is a strong motivator.”

It’s a reminder that sustainability isn’t built in boardrooms alone. Many times, it starts with a conversation on a factory floor and someone, like Mujtaba Hussain, asking the right questions.

At PUMA, we are proud to work closely with people like Mujtaba.