SA 8000 is developed by the SAI – Social Accountability International (formerly known as CEPAA – Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency), an affiliate of the Council on Economic Priorities (CEP)SA 8000 is an international certification standard that encourages organizations to develop, maintain and apply socially acceptable practices in the workplace. It was created in 1989 by Social Accountability International (SAI), an affiliate of the Council on Economic Priorities, and is viewed as the most globally accepted independent workplace standard. It can be applied to any company, of any size, anywhere in the world. The areas it addresses include forced and child labor, health and safety, freedom of association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, compensation and management systems.
Consumers and other stakeholders have become increasingly concerned about whether products have been manufactured under conditions of violation of human rights, child labor and discrimination – as often reported by the media. The existing management of many companies cannot adequately cope with the myriad demands imposed by labor laws, codes of conduct of individual companies, as well as their stakeholders.A greater challenge is to effectively monitor whether the manufacturers and suppliers have implemented the codes of conducts, rules and regulations conforming to the norms of Social Accountability International.
BENEFITS
- A way to generate public awareness of companies committed to assuring humane working conditions.
- Enhances company and brand reputation. Improves employee recruitment, retention and productivity.
- Clear and credible assurance for ethical purchasing decisions. Identification of ethically made products and companies committed to ethical sourcing. Broad coverage of product categories and production geography.
- 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.
- 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.
- Brings more value to the organization by improved HR systems.
