SA8000

It 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 9 elements in the
SA8000 Standard:

·      Child Labour: No use or support of child labour,
policies and written procedures for remediation of children found to be working
in situation, provide adequate financial and other support to enable such
children to attend school, and employment of young workers conditional.

·      Forced and Compulsory Labour: No use of support for forced or
compulsory labour, no required deposits-financial or otherwise; no withholding
salary, benefits, property or documents to force personnel to continue work,
personnel right to leave premises after workday, personnel free to terminate
their employment, and no use nor support for human trafficking.

·      Health and Safety: Provide a safe and healthy workplace,
prevent potential occupational accidents, appoint senior manager to ensure OSH,
instruction on OSH for all personnel, system to detect, avoid, respond to
risks, record all accidents, provide personal protection equipment and medical
attention in event of work-related injury, remove, reduce risks to new and
expectant mothers, hygiene-toilet, potable water, sanitary food storage, decent
dormitories-clean, safe, meet basic needs, and worker right to remove from
imminent anger.

·      Freedom of Association and Right to
Collective Bargaining: Respect the right to form and join trade unions and bargain collectively.
All personnel are free to, organize trade unions of their choice, and bargain
collectively with their employer.

·      Discrimination: No discrimination based on race,
national or social origin, caste, birth, religion, disability, gender, sexual
orientation, union membership, political opinions and age. No discrimination in
hiring, remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination and
retirement.

·      Disciplinary Practices: Treat all personnel with dignity and
respect, zero tolerance of corporal punishment, mental or physical abuse of
personnel, no harsh or inhumane treatment.

·      Working Hours: Compliance with laws and industry
standards, normal workweek, not including overtime, shall not exceed 48 hours.
1 day off following every 6 consecutive work days, with some exceptions, overtime
is voluntary, not regular not more than 12 hours per week, enquired overtime
only if negotiated in CBA.

·      Remuneration: Respect right of personnel to loving
wage, all workers paid at least legal minimum wage, wages sufficient to meet
basic needs & provide discretionary income, deductions not for disciplinary
purposes, with some exceptions, wages and benefits clearly communicated to
workers, paid in convenient manner-cash or check form, overtime paid at premium
rate. Prohibited use of labor-only contracting, short term contracts and false
apprenticeship schemes to avoid legal obligations to personnel.

         Management Systems: Facilities seeking to gain and
maintain certification must go beyond simple compliance to integrate the
standard into their management systems and practices.