SA8000

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SA8000 is a global social accountability standard for decent working conditions, developed and overseen by Social Accountability International (SAI). Detailed guidance for implementing or auditing to SA8000 are available from its website. SAI offers training in SA8000 and other workplace standards to managers, workers and auditors. It contracts with a global accreditation agency, Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) that licences and oversees auditing organisations to award certification to employers that comply with SA8000.

In May 2009 it was verified by SAAS Accreditation that over one million workers are employed in SA8000 Certified Facilities around the world.

Basis

SA8000 is an auditable certification standard based on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Rights of the Child and various International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions. SA8000 covers the following areas of accountability:

  • Child labor: No workers under the age of 15; minimum lowered to 14 for countries operating under the ILO Convention 138 developing-country exception; remediation of any child found to be working.
  • Forced labor: No forced labor, including prison or debt bondage labor; no lodging of deposits or identity papers by employers or outside recruiters.
  • Health and Safety: Provide a safe and healthy work environment; take steps to prevent injuries; regular health and safety worker training; system to detect threats to health and safety; access to bathrooms and potable water.
  • Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining: Respect the right to form and join trade unions and bargain collectively; where law prohibits these freedoms, facilitate parallel means of association and bargaining.
  • Discrimination: No discrimination based on race, caste, origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union or political affiliation, or age; no sexual harassment.
  • Discipline: No corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion or verbal abuse
  • Working hours: Comply with the applicable law but, in any event, no more than 48 hours per week with at least one day off for every seven day period; voluntary overtime paid at a premium rate and not to exceed 12 hours per week on a regular basis; overtime may be mandatory if part of a collective bargaining agreement.
  • Compensation: Wages paid for a standard work week must meet the legal and industry standards and be sufficient to meet the basic need of workers and their families; no disciplinary deductions.
  • Management Systems for Human Resources: Facilities seeking to gain and maintain certification must go beyond simple compliance to integrate the standard into their management systems and practices.

Certification

A facility wishing to seek certification to SA8000 must apply to a SAAS-accredited auditing firm, or certification body. Assessment of compliance to the SA8000 Standard and the issuance of accredited SA8000 certifications are available only through SAAS-accredited, independent organizations.

There are four basic types of out of pocket costs associated with certification:

  • The cost associated with taking corrective and preventive action in order to qualify for compliance. After this, an organization would seek verification of its compliance.
  • The cost of preparing for the audit.
  • The cost of an independent audit by a SAAS-accredited CB.
  • The cost associated with taking corrective actions to resolve problems (if nonconformances have been identified).

SAAS Accreditation maintains a public list of SA8000 certified facilities and statistics.

As of March 31, 2010:

  • Certified Facilities: 2,151
  • Countries Represented: 60
  • Industries Represented: 67
  • Number of Employees: 1,234,335

The industrial sectors with the most certifications include apparel and textiles; building materials; agriculture; construction; chemicals; cosmetics; cleaning services and transportation. The countries with the most certification to SA8000 include Brazil, India, China and Italy.

Accreditation

Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) is an accreditation agency founded to accredit and monitor organizations as certifiers of compliance with social standards, including the Social Accountability 8000 standard for ethical working conditions. SAAS began work as a department within Social Accountability International (SAI) in 1997 and was formally established as its own not-for-profit organization in 2007.

There are 19 Certification Bodies accredited by SAAS to carry out SA8000 social audits:

SA8000:2008 Translations

Significance

Dominic A. Tarantino, Chairman of Price Waterhouse World Firm described SA8000 in 1998 as "the first ever universal standard for ethical sourcing... It provides a common framework for ethical sourcing for companies of any size and any type, anywhere in the world. SA8000 sets out provisions for issues such as trade union rights, the use of child labor, working hours, health and safety at work, and fair pay." However, it does not address broader issues of ecology or bribery or other issues which may require more consumer or executive restraint. Tarantino further argued the need for moral leadership:

"Pricing, products and services are no longer the sole arbiters of commercial success... it is business that must take the lead in taming the global frontier. Business must take the lead in establishing rule of law in emerging markets. Business must take the lead in stopping bribery. Business must take the lead in bringing order to cyberspace. Business must take the lead in ensuring that technology does not split the world into haves and have nots."

Case Studies

See also

External links

fr:SA 8000 it:SA 8000 ja:SA 8000 no:SA8000 pt:SA8000 ru:Social Accountability 8000 vi:SA8000 zh:SA8000

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