SA:8000

SA:8000 is an international standard for improving working conditions. This standard is based on the principles of the international human rights norms as described in International Labor Organization conventions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. SA:8000 is the first audit able social standard and is independent of government bodies and single interest groups.

SA:8000 is based on the principles of international human rights norms as described in International Labour Organization conventions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It measures the performance of companies in eight key areas: child labour, forced labour, health and safety, free association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours and compensation. SA:8000 also provides for a social accountability management system to demonstrate ongoing conformance with the standard.

SA:8000 is an auditable certification standard that encourages organizations to develop, maintain, and apply socially acceptable practices in the workplace. It was developed in 1997 by Social Accountability International (SAI), formerly the Council on Economic Priorities, by an advisory board consisting of trade unions, NGOs, civil society organizations and companies.[1] The SA:8000 streamlines the complexities of navigating industry and corporate codes to create a common language and standard for measuring social compliance. As it can be applied worldwide to any company in any industry, it is an extremely useful tool in measuring, comparing, and verifying social accountability in the workplace.

Adopting SA:8000 certification means an organization must consider the social impact of their operations in addition to the conditions under which their employees, partners and suppliers operate. It can be applied to any company, of any size, worldwide. Working with our experienced auditors to implement the most globally accepted workplace standard demonstrates social accountability when bidding for contracts and expanding your organization.

SA:8000 is revised periodically as conditions change, and to incorporate corrections and improvements received from interested parties. Many interested parties have contributed to this version. It is hoped that both the standard and its Guidance Document will continue to improve, with the help of a wide variety of people and organizations.

SA:8000