SA 8000:2014
Introduction to SA 8000
We have been associated with organizations across the world for their SA 8000 certification project. Whether you are a small organization or a multinational corporate, our proven consultation solutions will ensure that you implement SA 8000 standard in the most effective manner with timely project completion.
SA 8000 social responsibility system implementation with the consultants and experts of KCS not only assures 100% successful SA 8000 certification but also improves process performance and business operations.
Consultants of our organization assist your company in your social responsibility management context through SA 8000 certification to get your company SA 8000 certified quickly with the ease of implementation and in the most cost effective manner. We make sure that SA 8000 standard implementation does not just become a documentation activity but also a way of life for the organization that lays a foundation for Total social responsibility Management and social conscious organizational culture.
We offer onsite and online consultation solutions for SA 8000 certification. Our customers have been utilizing our services not only for initial certification consultation but also for post certification consultation to ensure that our consultants regularly add value to the business processes of our customers and their process & quality standardization initiatives.
Our SA 8000 certificate consultation services include awareness training, social responsibility management policy – objectives workshop, gap analysis, documentation design including manuals, procedures, work instructions, formats etc., implementation assistance & training, internal auditor training, lead auditor training, assistance in conducting internal audit, pre-assessment audit and everything required to ensure a 100% successful SA 8000 certification audit within scheduled project completion time period.
Biggest benefit an organization gets out of SA 8000 is improvement in business process control through process standardization. No matter what benefits you are looking for from SA 8000 certification, we will make sure that your organization benefits from SA 8000 implementation and certification.
What is SA 8000?
SA 8000 (Social Accountability 8000) is the first international certification on social responsibility. Its main objective is to guarantee workers’ rights in such a way that everyone involved wins: companies, workers, trade unions, government.
History of SA 8000:
The standard Requirements SA8000 was launched in 1997 by CEPAA – Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency, an NGO, later renamed to SAI – Social Accountability International. Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) is the first global standard for corporate social responsibility. SA8000 is based on both international human rights’ conventions (International Labour Organization, the International Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) and satisfying relevant local legislation. It aims to guarantee basic rights of workers involved in the production processes.
Requirements of SA 8000:
- Child labour is not permitted
- Forced labour is not permitted
- Health and safety have to be assured
- Freedom to organize and collective bargaining have to be guaranteed
- Discrimination is not permitted
- Disciplinary practices are not permitted
- Working hours shall not exceed 48 hours a week, with a maximum of 12 hours overtime
- Remuneration shall be sufficient
Who can apply for certification?
SA8000 follows the structures of both the Quality Management Standards ISO9000 and the Environment Management Standard ISO14000, and emphasizes the importance of an on-going improvement process. Development and ongoing oversight of the standard is addressed by a multi-sector Advisory Board with experts from business, trade unions, government and NGOs from around the world and across industries. Facilities seeking certification of compliance to the standard must have robust management systems in place and undergo an audit by an independent, accredited certification body. SAI and its Advisory Board oversee the accreditation of certification bodies, which are required to demonstrate extensive background in systems auditing, intensive training in SA8000, and the institutional capacity to assure quality and responsiveness. There are currently nine accredited certification bodies that have certified facilities in 30 countries. SAI regularly consults international experts on ways to strengthen certification audits and the SA8000 guidance documents.
Companies seeking independence in verifying their social record.
Companies seeking independence in verifying their own social record and that of their contractors.
Contractors that produce goods for U.S. and European companies and wish to demonstrate to companies and consumers that they are treating workers fairly
Development or multilateral organizations seeking to ensure that they procure from companies that are not exploitative
How Companies Can Implement SA 8000 Standard?
- There are two options:
- Certification to SA8000
- Involvement in the Corporate Involvement Program (CIP)
- Certification to SA8000
Companies that operate production facilities can seek to have individual facilities certified to SA8000 through audits by one of the accredited certification bodies. Since the SA8000 system became fully operational in 1998, there are certified facilities in 30 countries on five continents and across 22 industries.
SA8000 Corporate Involvement Program
Companies that focus on selling goods or combine production and selling can join the SA8000 Corporate Involvement Program. The CIP is a two-level program that helps companies evaluate SA8000, implement the standard, and report publicly on implementation progress.
- SA8000 Explorer (CIP Level One): Evaluate SA8000 as an ethical sourcing tool via pilot audits
- SA8000 Signatory (CIP Level Two):
Implement SA8000 over time in some or all of the supply chain through certification
Communicate implementation progress to stakeholders via SAI-verified public reporting
The CIP was launched in late 1999 and has attracted entities representing more than $100 billion in annual revenue including Amana SA, Avon, Cutter & Buck, Dole, Eileen Fisher, Otto Versand, Tex Line, Toys “R” Us, UNOPS, and Vögele Mode. Program benefits include training courses for managers, suppliers and workers, technical assistance in implementing SA8000, access to a shared database of suppliers, and the right to use the SAI and SA8000 logos to communicate with stakeholders.
Benefits of SA8000
Along with human workplaces, the implementation of SA8000 offers more benefits to workers, companies and others:
Benefits for Workers, Trade Unions and NGOs
- Enhanced opportunities to organize trade unions and bargain collectively
- A tool to educate workers about core labour rights
- Another opportunity to work directly with business on labour rights issues
- Public awareness of companies committed to assuring human working conditions
- Benefits for business
- Putting company values into action
- Enhancing company and brand reputation
- Improving employee recruitment, retention and performance
- Better supply chain management and performance
- Benefits for Consumers and Investors
- Clear and credible assurance for ethical purchasing decisions
- Identification of products made ethically and companies committed to ethical sourcing
- Broad coverage of product categories and production geography.
SA 8000 Implementation Steps & Project Plan
Consultants Activity
Results Activity
Initial Assessment through interview with the people Responsible for the main roles in the company, and sightseeing all the organization sites
Report
Projecting the System to comply with relevant national and local regulations, assessing the company against the SA8000 standard and giving the customer the time table to do it
Consultants Quality Plan
Initial Assessment through interview with the people Responsible for the main roles in the company, and sightseeing all the organization sites
Report
Implementing the System on the SA8000 standard and all the documents that vary depending on the company’s activity
SA8000 Documentation
Internal assessment of compliance with SA8000 conducted by KCS’s consultants / experts to check if the changes to conditions, policies and management systems required by the standard are done in all the organization sites. The audit also relieves that all what is declared in the relative documentation is true
Identification of the non-compliances to the SA8000 and corrective actions when required
Assistance to choose the Certification Auditor that suits better the customer activity and management of all the arrangement needed
Activation of the Certification
Assistance up to the final Auditing and the issue of the certificate
Certificate SA8000
Time required
3 – 4 months
What do we offer for SA 8000 Certification for your organization?
With a team of highly qualified consultants and trainers having vast industrial experience, KCS assists organizations across the world to implement and achieve SA 8000 certification. Our consultation approach is highly professional, time bound and effective resulting in ease of implementation and adds value to the business processes of the client’s organization.
We offer SA 8000 training, implementation, consultation, gap analysis, documentation, internal audits, preassessment audits, certification audit through best of the certification bodies and post certification enhancement / maintenance services to enable your organization to get the best out of SA 8000 management system. Our services are globally accepted, authoritative and benchmarked in the field of SA 8000.
Contact us at contact@kingsmenforce.com to get your organization SA 8000 certified.