SA8000 Certification: Workplace Values and Social Accountability
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SA8000 Certification: Social Accountability in the Workplace
The SA8000 Social Accountability certification standard focuses on workplace values. The standard is based on international workplace norms of International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Key Elements of SA8000
A brief summary of some of the SA8000 elements follows:
- Child labor
- Forced labor
- Health and safety
- Freedom of association and right to collective bargaining
- Discrimination
- Discipline
- Working hours
- Compensation
- Management systems
The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact
The UN Global Compact outlines ten principles related to human rights, labor standards, the environment, and anti-corruption:
Human Rights
- Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.
- Businesses should make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Labour Standards
- Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.
- Businesses should eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labour.
- Businesses should effectively abolish child labour.
- Businesses should eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment
- Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.
- Businesses should undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility.
- Businesses should encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-Corruption
- Businesses should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery.
Sustainability Assessment Elements
The Sustainability Assessment used to rank companies is based on five elements:
- Innovation: Investing in innovations to lead to a more efficient use of resources.
- Governance: Setting high standards for governance, including management responsibility and corporate culture.
- Shareholders: Providing financial returns and economic growth for shareholders.
- Leadership: Setting standards for best practice and maintaining excellent performance.
- Society: Investing in local and global communities, interacting with stakeholders, and responding to their needs.