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SA8000
Summary

SA8000 is the first global certification system for supply chain labour standards. It is being put into practice with around 350 production facilities so far. The standard is primarily focused on processing facilities (factories) worldwide, mainly for manufacturing goods. SA8000 stands for Social Accountability 8000 and is established by Social Accountability International (SAI), an international non-governmental, multi-stakeholder organisation.

Objective  Is the focus of the standard on economic, social, environmental, food safety or organic issues?
 Social: improvement of working conditions and safety at the workplace.
Why?  Who is asking you to use this system? Is it a market requirement or a voluntary system?
 SA8000 is a voluntary system, mainly used in processing industry / at factory level.
Scope of the standard  What kind of processes within your organisation/company should be changed according to the standard’s criteria? Most systems look at the production process, and/or look at the processing of the produce. Some systems look at organisational processes as well, e.g. if democratic structures are in place, how support departments are organized (HRM/financial), if internal control systems are in place, if ILO labour conditions are implemented, etcetera. Additionally the processes of your suppliers or service provider can be part of the standards’ scope as well. This means that you are responsible for the sustainability of their (or part of their) actions as well.
organisational processes Y: aspects related to labour conditions
(on-farm) production N
processing Y
supplier/service provider N
Who can apply?  Not every code or standard can be used by every actor within the supply chain. Some are just targeted to a specific group within the chain, others focus on the complete chain. You can think of the following parties: producers/producer group, processor, exporter/trader, importer, retailer.  
producers/producer groups Limited number of plantations and agro industries.
processor Companies & suppliers that operate as production facilities. For certified facilities see
exporter/trader N
importer N
retail Retailers often support SA 8000 guidelines
Products  Most systems focus on specific products, product groups or sectors. Please look carefully if you produce falls under the scope of the standard.
 No specific sector: but mainly manufactured goods, clothing, textiles, shoes, toys.
Markets  Although most systems are used worldwide, they often have their origin or focus in a specific country or region. Some countries/regions prefer a certain code or standard.
 Country/region: US and EU market
Benefits  A very legitimate question is what this specific certification means to you. Does it provide you access to markets, or even to niche markets? Does it guarantee a better price, or maybe even a premium on top of a minimum price? Does it create better access to support services?  
market access Y: only for specific clients
access to niche market N
premium N
other Y: is a respected standard and has been the first auditable certification system.
Support services  To be able to comply with the requirements of such systems, you may need some support. Various experts in the field of certification are available and can give this (paid/free) support. Yes commercially available.
For an overview of SA8000 consultants click here
Adaptations/investments   SA8000 standards are one step further then the BSCI requirements and is used as a best Practice example for suppliers/producers that already comply with BSCI. All investments to be made for BSCI, count of SA8000. Some additional investments you have to do contain:

-appoint a senior management representative for the compliance of the standard
-establish procedures to evaluate and selected subcontractors/suppliers
Costs & Time  Working with these certification systems and implementing the necessary steps is often not an easy task. You have to be aware of the many implications and adaptations you may have to make. This section gives some examples of the kind of investments you to have to think of. a) The first, typically the largest, is the cost associated with taking corrective and preventive actions in order to qualify for compliance.
b) The second is the cost of preparing for the audit.
c) The third is the cost of an independent audit: fee of auditor is 500-1500 USD p/day.
d) Taking corrective actions in order to resolve problems identified by the auditors. For example, the company may need to install or repair health and safety equipment, wages may need to be increased or child labourers enrolled in a remediation program.
System characteristics  In this section you will find a link to the standard itself and some main points of attention.
 It is a certification system to be implemented by the processor of the product. It sets minimum standards for working conditions according to 13 ILO conventions.

SA8000 is a global certifiable standards which is delivering auditable compliance both for manufacturers and purchasers in the supply chain.
For the SA8000 standards click here
Verification    
internal inspection Preparation for external audit: pre audit
external inspection Annualy by an SA 8000 auditor
For a list of SA8000 accredited certification bodies click here
Type of label  One of ways to show that a product complies with a specific standard is to label it. Some codes or standards do not use a label at all. Nevertheless, most choose to carry a Business to Business (B2B) or a Consumer label.
 SA 8000 trade mark for business to business
Who's behind it?  What is the origin of the standard, and who has initiated the idea? Who is the owner of the certification system?
 Social Accountability International (SAI) is a non-profit organisation incorporated in 1997. It is overseen by a multistakeholder forum and has strong support form the international trade movement.
Trends  The trend section is mainly based on future perspectives of the standard. Are they going to expand to other products, other markets? Is there increasing interest from markets for this specific certification? What can you expect in the coming period?
 Focus on food is extended in the last few years.
Contact SA Netherlands
  website SAI
   
all certification systems

 
 
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