Partner Africa
Partner Africa is a non-governmental organisation providing social and ethical auditing (SMETA, WIETA, SIZA) and human rights due diligence advisory services across 22 African countries, serving multinational corporations and their suppliers. Now operating as a trading brand under LRQA Group Limited following its April 2026 acquisition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Partner Africa does
Partner Africa is a Nairobi-headquartered, UK-registered non-governmental organisation specialising in social and ethical auditing and responsible business advisory services across the African continent. The organisation delivers on-ground audits against internationally recognised standards including SMETA, WIETA, and SIZA, alongside human rights due diligence (HRDD) advisory grounded in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Its proprietary Contextual Intelligence Approach and Worker-Centred Due Diligence methodology emphasise direct worker engagement, local cultural fluency, and integrated remediation rather than purely compliance-driven reporting. Partner Africa operates across 22 African countries with sector concentration in agriculture (70% of engagements), manufacturing, and food and beverage, serving multinational corporations and their African suppliers, plus governments and civil society organisations.
The organisation's product portfolio spans four core lines: Social and Ethical Audits (the largest revenue contributor, including SMETA, WIETA, SIZA, and formerly GLOBALG.A.P. audits which were discontinued in February 2025), Responsible Business Advisory Services (HRDD frameworks, gap analysis, and policy development), Training Services (human rights and ethical audit training), and Project Management Services (oversight of social compliance programmes). Supporting assets include a co-developed Business Process Improvement Toolkit created with Coca-Cola, Diageo, ABInBev, and AIM-Progress, a SCBP portal accessed through the AIM-Progress partnership, and integration with the SEDEX platform for SMETA workflow execution.
Commercially, Partner Africa operates a professional services model with direct enterprise sales engagement to multinational buyers and their supplier networks. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through dedicated enquiry channels. In 2024 the organisation delivered 894 audits and 33 advisory projects to nearly 1,000 clients while maintaining an 82% advisory client retention rate. In April 2026 Partner Africa was acquired by LRQA, a Goldman Sachs Asset Management-backed London-based assurance services provider, marking LRQA's first acquisition in the EMEA region and giving Partner Africa's clients access to a broader portfolio including quality assurance, cybersecurity, climate performance, and supply chain intelligence software. Partner Africa continues to operate as a trading brand under LRQA Group Limited.
Partner Africa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Partner Africa
- Legal name
- LRQA Group Limited
- Website
- https://partnerafrica.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Partner Africa is a non-governmental organisation providing social and ethical auditing (SMETA, WIETA, SIZA) and human rights due diligence advisory services across 22 African countries, serving multinational corporations and their suppliers. Now operating as a trading brand under LRQA Group Limited following its April 2026 acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Partner Africa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Compliance and Ethical Trade Auditing Services
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG) (EUAHAJAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable & Responsible Supply Chain (ESG, Scope 3) (BPAHAHAM), Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm) (BPADAEAM), Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)
Keywords
Where Partner Africa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nairobi
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices3 records
Markets served
Partner Africa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Social and Ethical Auditing Services: On-ground auditing services across Africa covering various standards including SMETA, WIETA, SIZA, and GLOBALG.A.P. Audits assess social compliance, environmental sustainability, and ethical business practices.
- Responsible Business Advisory: Human rights due diligence frameworks, gap analysis, policy development, and management systems for sustainable impact. Advisory services transform business practices through HRDD approaches.
- Training Services: Human rights training and ethical audit training provided to workers, businesses, and government officials. Social Auditing Training Programmes available.
- Project Management Services: Oversight of social compliance programmes to ensure operations respect people and the environment.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Partner Africa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Partner Africa provides on-ground social and ethical auditing of supply chains across Africa against standards including SMETA, WIETA, and SIZA, complemented by human rights due diligence advisory, training programmes, and project management of social compliance programmes. The firm serves multinational brands, their African suppliers, and government/civil society clients with the goal of ensuring compliance with international ethical trade principles and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Product overview
Partner Africa is an international non-governmental organization providing social audits and responsible business advisory services across Africa. The organization operates as a unified service portfolio centered on four core offerings: Social and Ethical Audits, Responsible Business Advisory Services, Training Services, and Project Management Services. The audit services encompass multiple internationally recognized standards including SMETA, WIETA, SIZA, and formerly GLOBALG.A.P. The advisory services build on a Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) framework anchored in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, delivered through a proprietary Contextual Intelligence approach. Supporting resources include a Business Process Improvement Toolkit developed in partnership with major industry players (Coca-Cola, Diageo, ABInBev, AIM-Progress) and access to the SCBP portal. In April 2026, Partner Africa was acquired by LRQA, gaining access to a broader portfolio including quality assurance, cybersecurity, climate performance, safety, and supply chain intelligence software.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Social and Ethical Audits On-the-ground social and ethical auditing services deployed across Africa to identify and correct social, environmental, and governance shortcomings in supply chains. Covers SMETA, WIETA, SIZA, and TCCC standards and is available to multinational corporations, their suppliers, and producers.
- Responsible Business Advisory Services Expert advisory guidance on human rights due diligence drawing on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), helping clients drive impact and compliance. Serves multinational corporations, government, and civil society.
- Training Services Human rights training and ethical audit training delivered to workers, businesses, and government officials by expert human rights consultants, building capacity for social auditing and responsible business practices.
- Project Management Services Oversight and management of client social compliance programmes to ensure operations respect people and the environment, providing further compliance assistance beyond individual audits and advisory mandates.
- SMETA Audit Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) — a comprehensive methodology assessing ethical trade practices in global supply chains, available in 2-pillar and 4-pillar versions covering labour rights, health and safety, environmental practices, and business ethics.
- WIETA Audit Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) certification focusing on ethical practices in South African wine production, encompassing human rights due diligence, fair labour conditions, health and safety, and community engagement.
- SIZA Social Audit Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA) social audit providing a comprehensive framework for ethical agricultural practices through announced, semi-announced, and unannounced audits evaluating labour practices and operational sustainability.
Quantifiable outcome
- 894 high-quality social audits conducted in 2024
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Partner Africa
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Partner Africa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Partner Africa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and notable.
- LRQAcoreLRQA, a Goldman Sachs Asset Management-backed assurance services provider, acquired Partner Africa to strengthen its responsible sourcing capabilities and expand initiatives across Africa. This is LRQA's first acquisition in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Partner Africa's clients gain access to LRQA's broader portfolio including quality assurance, cybersecurity, climate performance, safety, and supply chain intelligence software.
- The Coca-Cola CompanycoreCollaborated with Partner Africa to develop the Comprehensive Business Process Improvement Toolkit covering nine key areas for business growth and sustainability.
- DiageocoreCollaborated with Partner Africa to develop the Comprehensive Business Process Improvement Toolkit covering nine key areas for business growth and sustainability.
- ABInBevcoreCollaborated with Partner Africa to develop the Comprehensive Business Process Improvement Toolkit covering nine key areas for business growth and sustainability.
- AIM-ProgresscoreCollaborated with Partner Africa to develop the Comprehensive Business Process Improvement Toolkit covering nine key areas for business growth and sustainability.
- TescomajorCommissioned Partner Africa's Gender-Sensitive Audit Pilot to enhance social audits by making them more sensitive to gender issues.
- Co-opmajorCommissioned Partner Africa's Gender-Sensitive Audit Pilot to enhance social audits by making them more sensitive to gender issues.
- SEDEXcorePartner Africa conducts SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) audits using the SEDEX platform for Self-Assessment Questionnaires, audit reporting, and Corrective Action Plan Reports.
- Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI)majorPartner Africa works with ETI on a Grievance Mechanism project addressing salient issues in various industries across Africa.
- Rainforest AlliancenotablePartner Africa worked on a Rainforest Alliance sustainable agriculture project involving capacity building and market access through sustainable interventions.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Partner Africa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Intertek: Global assurance provider with established social compliance, ethical sourcing and supplier audit services. Overlaps with Partner Africa on social audit delivery and ethical trade assurance for global supply chains.
- Bureau Veritas: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) major offering social audits, supply chain assurance, and ESG services. Competes with Partner Africa for multinational supply chain assurance mandates across Africa.
- EcoVadis: Global business sustainability ratings platform widely used by multinationals for supplier ESG assessments. Adjacent competitor — overlaps with Partner Africa in supplier-level human rights and ethical trade assurance workflows.
- SGS: Global testing, inspection and certification leader with a social compliance / ethical audit practice. Competes head-to-head with Partner Africa for African social audit and supplier assurance work for multinational buyers.
- DNV: Global assurance and risk management firm with a growing supply chain and human rights due diligence practice. Competes with Partner Africa on HRDD advisory and social compliance assurance for multinational buyers.
- LRQA: Parent company and global assurance services provider (quality, cybersecurity, supply chain, ESG). Direct overlap on responsible sourcing, social compliance assurance, and supply chain intelligence software across global enterprise clients.
Direct peers
- Control Union: Global certification and responsible sourcing body operating sustainability schemes (including in agriculture) across Africa. Directly competes with Partner Africa for ethical trade, social compliance and agricultural certification audits.
- Sedex: Owner and operator of the SMETA audit methodology and the global Sedex platform for ethical trade data. Partner Africa conducts SMETA audits on the Sedex platform; Sedex is both a key channel and a structural participant in the same audit value chain.
- SIZA (Sustainability Initiative of South Africa): South African ethical agriculture assurance programme. Partner Africa delivers SIZA social audits alongside multiple competing audit bodies operating the same standard, making SIZA a direct standard-level peer.
- WIETA: Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association governing ethical audits in South African wine and agricultural value chains. Partner Africa is a registered WIETA audit provider; other accredited providers are direct competitors for the same audit volumes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Partner Africa social profiles
Digital presencePartner Africa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Partner Africa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Partner Africa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Partner Africa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Partner Africa
What does Partner Africa do?
Partner Africa provides on-ground social and ethical auditing of supply chains across Africa against standards including SMETA, WIETA, and SIZA, complemented by human rights due diligence advisory, training programmes, and project management of social compliance programmes. The firm serves multinational brands, their African suppliers, and government/civil society clients with the goal of ensuring compliance with international ethical trade principles and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Is Partner Africa a public or private company?
Partner Africa is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently acquired.
When was Partner Africa founded?
Partner Africa was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Partner Africa based?
Partner Africa is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does Partner Africa make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Social and Ethical Auditing Services are the primary driver. The others are responsible Business Advisory, training Services and project Management Services.
Who are Partner Africa's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Intertek, Bureau Veritas, EcoVadis, SGS, DNV and LRQA. Direct peers are Control Union, Sedex, SIZA (Sustainability Initiative of South Africa) and WIETA.
Does Partner Africa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Partner Africa.
What industry is Partner Africa in?
Partner Africa's product category is Social Compliance and Ethical Trade Auditing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAJAE, Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG), with a secondary code of BPAHAHAM, Sustainable & Responsible Supply Chain (ESG, Scope 3). Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.