what is SA8000?
Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) is the reference standard developed by Social Accountability International (SAI) and supervised by Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) and was the first social responsibility standard to gain worldwide recognition as a certifiable reference standard. Aimed at improving work conditions, SA8000 is applicable to all companies, regardless of size, sector and country of operation.
SA8000 is based on various international conventions, such as the ILO, the UN Declaration on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It covers a wide range of issues including child labor and forced labor, health and safety, freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, pay and management systems relating to supply chain control, external communication management and other company policies.
Key Aspects of SA8000
- Child Labor: Prohibits the use of child labor and mandates measures for the remediation of any child found to be working in violation of local laws and international standards.
- Forced or Compulsory Labor: Ensures that all work is conducted on a voluntary basis and prohibits forced or compulsory labor, including human trafficking.
- Health and Safety: Requires organizations to provide a safe and healthy working environment, take preventive measures to avoid accidents, and ensure access to adequate healthcare.
- Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining: Respects workers’ rights to form and join trade unions of their choice and to bargain collectively.
- Discrimination: Prohibits discrimination in hiring, remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination, or retirement based on race, national origin, caste, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union membership, or political affiliation.
- Disciplinary Practices: Forbids the use of corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion, and verbal abuse.
- Working Hours:Adheres to applicable laws and industry standards on working hours, ensuring that workers are not required to work excessive hours and that they receive adequate rest periods.
- Management Systems: Requires organizations to establish robust management systems to implement the SA8000 standard, including policies, procedures, and regular audits to ensure ongoing compliance.
benefits of SA8000 certification
SA8000 certification presents an opportunity to increase an organization’s value by collecting evidence of its approach and its results that help identify the necessary improvement actions to achieve its social responsibility goals. Certification by an accredited body also shows the market that the organization acts responsibly in relation to social ethics.
- It testifies to the organization’s commitment to social responsibility and the ethical treatment of employees, in accordance with global standards
- It improves the management and performance of the supply chain
- It ensures adherence to global standards and reduces the risk of negligence, public exposure and possible lawsuits
- It strengthens the loyalty of employees, customers and shareholders
- It demonstrates a suitable approach to social responsibility when you submit tenders for international contracts or expand your business locally with new business opportunities