Social Accountability 8000

Origin.   SA8000 is the product of Social Accountability International (SAI), an organization founded in 1997.    SAI is dedicated to addressing the growing concern among consumers about working conditions in factories around the world.

Purpose. SA8000 is intended to overcome the difficulties associated with monitoring internal corporate codes of conduct.   It offers (1) a standard for workplace conditions, and (2) a system for independently verifying a factory’s compliance with this standard.

Content .   SA8000’s normative elements are based upon International Labor Organization conventions and United Nations human rights standards, while its verification system draws upon established business strategies and systems for ensuring quality (e.g., ISO 9000).   Its social accountability requirements address nine areas:

• Child Labor
• Forced Labor
• Health and Safety
• Compensation
• Working Hours
• Discrimination
• Discipline
• Free Association and Collective Bargaining
• Management Systems    

Implementation . SAI accredits firms to act as external auditors that certify whether manufacturing facilities are in compliance with SA8000. Certification of compliance with SA8000 means that a facility has been examined in accordance with SAI auditing procedures and found to meet the standard’s requirements.   

To view this code in its entirety please visit: http://www.cepaa.org/SA8000/SA8000.htm

08 May 2002