What is SA8000 standard?
The SA8000 standard is is one of the world’s first auditable social certification standards for decent workplaces, across all industrial sectors. It is based on conventions of the ILO, UN and national law, and spans industry and corporate codes to create a common language to measure social compliance. It takes a management systems approach by setting out the structures and procedures that companies must adopt in order to ensure that compliance with the standard is continuously reviewed. Those seeking to comply with SA8000 have adopted policies and procedures that protect the basic human rights of workers. Below are the nine elements in the SA8000 Standard:
- Child Labor
- Forced & Compulsory Labor
- Health & Safety
- Freedom of Association & Right to Collective Bargaining
- Discrimination
- Disciplinary Practices
- Working Hours
- Remuneration
- Management Systems
Benefits of SA 8000 to manufacturers and suppliers:
- Marketing advantage – more demand and value for goods from socially.
- Responsible manufacturers/suppliers.
- Enhancement of company productivity.
- Compliance to the laws of the land.
- Improvement of relationship with the Govt., NGOs, trade unions.
- Better image and position in labour market.
- Benefits of SA 8000 to the retailers:
- Cost reduction in monitoring.
- Better corporate image.
- Increased value for the products.
- Trust building with the analysts and investors when evaluated against social performance.