SA8000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SA8000 is a global social accountability standard for decent working conditions, developed and overseen by Social Accountability International (SAI). Detailed guidance for implementing or auditing to SA8000 are available from its website. SAI offers training in SA8000 and other workplace standards to managers, workers and auditors. It also operates an accreditation agency that licences and oversees auditing organisations to award certification to employers that comply with SA8000.
Contents |
[edit] Basis
SA8000 is based on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Rights of the Child and various International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions. SA8000 covers the following areas of accountability:
- Child labour
- Forced labour
- Workplace safety and health
- The right to organise
- Discrimination
- Workplace discipline
- Working hours
- Wages
- Management system for Human Resources
[edit] Members and certifications
Social Accountability International (SAI) Members include Gap Inc, Coop Italia, Otto Group, Toys R Us, Tchibo, and Eileen Fisher. SAI Advisory Board members come from Care, Ethos Institute, Tata Group, TNT, Switcher, Chiquita, Otto Group, Union Network International, UFCW, and Eileen Fisher.
More than 580,000 workers are employed in facilities certified to SA8000, in 55 countries and 58 industrial sectors. The industrial sectors with the most certifications include apparel and textiles; building materials; agriculture; construction; chemicals; cosmetics; cleaning services and transportation. The countries with the most certification to SA8000 include Brazil, India, China and Italy.
The cost of acquiring a certification for a factory, farm or office varies with the number of employees and the location. It can range up to 10-12,000 USD for large facilities.
[edit] Significance
Dominic A. Tarantino, Chairman of Price Waterhouse World Firm described SA8000 in 1998 as "the first ever universal standard for ethical sourcing... It provides a common framework for ethical sourcing for companies of any size and any type, anywhere in the world. SA8000 sets out provisions for issues such as trade union rights, the use of child labor, working hours, health and safety at work, and fair pay." However, it does not address broader issues of ecology or bribery or other issues which may require more consumer or executive restraint. Tarantino further argued the need for moral leadership:
"Pricing, products and services are no longer the sole arbiters of commercial success... it is business that must take the lead in taming the global frontier. Business must take the lead in establishing rule of law in emerging markets. Business must take the lead in stopping bribery. Business must take the lead in bringing order to cyberspace. Business must take the lead in ensuring that technology does not split the world into haves and have nots."
