INTERNATIONAL STANDARD

SAI
SA8000®: 2008

SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY 8000

SA8000® is a registered trademark of Social Accountability International

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SA 8000:2008

ABOUT THE STANDARD

This is the third issue of SA8000, an auditable standard for a third-party verification
system, setting out the voluntary requirements to be met by employers in the
workplace, including workers’ rights, workplace conditions, and management
systems. The normative elements of this standard are based on national law,
international human rights norms and the conventions of the ILO. The SA8000
standard can be used along with the SA8000 Guidance Document to assess the
compliance of a workplace with these standards.
The SA8000 Guidance Document helps to explain SA8000 and how to implement its
requirements; provides examples of methods for verifying compliance; and serves as
a handbook for auditors and for companies seeking certification of compliance with
SA8000. The Guidance Document can be obtained from SAI upon request for a
small fee.
SA8000 is revised periodically as conditions change, and to incorporate corrections
and improvements received from interested parties. Many interested parties have
contributed to this version. It is hoped that both the standard and its Guidance
Document will continue to improve, with the help of a wide variety of people and
organisations. SAI welcomes your suggestions as well. To comment on SA8000, the
associated SA8000 Guidance Document, or the framework for certification, please
send written remarks to SAI at the address indicated below.

SAI
Social Accountability International

© SAI 2008
The SA8000 standard may be reproduced only if prior written permission from SAI is obtained.

SAI
15 West 44th Street
6th Floor
New York, NY 10036
USA
+1-212-684-1414
+1-212-684-1515 (facsimile)
e-mail: info@sa-intl.org
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SA 8000:2008

CONTENTS Page

I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE 4

II. NORMATIVE ELEMENTS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION 4

III. DEFINITIONS 5
1. Definition of company 5
2. Definition of personnel 5
3. Definition of worker 5
4. Definition of supplier/subcontractor 5
5. Definition of sub-supplier 5
6. Definition of corrective and preventive action 5
7. Definition of interested party 5
8. Definition of child 5
9. Definition of young worker 5
10. Definition of child labour 5
11. Definition of forced and compulsory labour 5
12. Definition of human trafficking 5
13. Definition of remediation of children 5
14. Definition of home worker 6
15. Definition of SA8000 worker representative 6
16. Definition of management representative 6
17. Definition of worker organization 6
18. Definition of collective bargaining 6
IV. SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS 6
1. Child Labour 6
2. Forced and Compulsory Labour 6
3. Health and Safety 7
4. Freedom of Association & Right to Collective Bargaining 7
5. Discrimination 8
6. Disciplinary Practices 8
7. Working Hours 8
8. Remuneration 9
9. Management Systems 9
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SA 8000:2008

SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY 8000

(SA8000)

I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The intent of SA8000 is to provide a standard based on international human rights
norms and national labour laws that will protect and empower all personnel within a
company’s scope of control and influence, who produce products or provide services
for that company, including personnel employed by the company itself, as well as by
its suppliers/subcontractors, sub-suppliers, and home workers.
SA8000 is verifiable through an evidenced-based process. Its requirements apply
universally, regardless of a company’s size, geographic location, or industry sector.
Complying with the requirements for social accountability of this standard will enable
a company to:
a) Develop, maintain, and enforce policies and procedures in order to manage those
issues which it can control or influence;
b) Credibly demonstrate to interested parties that existing company policies,
procedures, and practices conform to the requirements of this standard.

II. NORMATIVE ELEMENTS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION

The company shall comply with national and all other applicable laws, prevailing
industry standards, other requirements to which the company subscribes, and this
standard. When such national and other applicable laws, prevailing industry
standards, other requirements to which the company subscribes, and this standard
address the same issue, the provision most favourable to workers shall apply.
The company shall also respect the principles of the following international
instruments:
ILO Convention 1 (Hours of Work – Industry) and Recommendation 116
(Reduction of Hours of Work)
ILO Conventions 29 (Forced Labour) and 105 (Abolition of Forced Labour)
ILO Convention 87 (Freedom of Association)
ILO Convention 98 (Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining)
ILO Conventions 100 (Equal Remuneration) and 111 (Discrimination – Employment
and Occupation)
ILO Convention 102 (Social Security – Minimum Standards)
ILO Convention 131 (Minimum Wage Fixing)
ILO Convention 135 (Workers’ Representatives)
ILO Convention 138 and Recommendation 146 (Minimum Age)
ILO Convention 155 and Recommendation 164 (Occupational Safety and Health)
ILO Convention 159 (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment - Disabled
Persons)
ILO Convention 169 (Indigenous and Tribal Peoples)
ILO Convention 177 (Home Work)
ILO Convention 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labour)
ILO Convention 183 (Maternity Protection)
ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women
The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination

III. DEFINITIONS
1. Definition of company: The entirety of any organisation or business entity
responsible for implementing the requirements of this standard, including all
personnel employed by the company.
2. Definition of personnel: All individual men and women directly employed
or contracted by a company, including directors, executives, managers,
supervisors, and workers.
3. Definition of worker: All non-management personnel.
4. Definition of supplier/subcontractor: An organisation which provides
the company with goods and/or services integral to and utilised in or for the
production of the company’s goods and/or services.
5. Definition of sub-supplier: A business entity in the supply chain which,
directly or indirectly, provides the supplier with goods and/or services integral to
and utilised in or for the production of the supplier’s and/or the company’s goods
and/or services.
6. Definition of corrective and preventive action: an immediate and
continuing remedy to a non-conformance to the SA8000 standard.
7. Definition of interested party: An individual or group concerned with or
affected by the social performance of the company.
8. Definition of child: Any person less than 15 years of age, unless the
minimum age for work or mandatory schooling is stipulated as being higher by
local law, in which case the stipulated higher age applies in that locality.
9. Definition of young worker: Any worker over the age of a child, as
defined above, and under the age of 18.
10. Definition of child labour: Any work performed by a child younger than the
age(s) specified in the above definition of a child, except as provided for by ILO
Recommendation 146.
11. Definition of forced and compulsory labour: All work or service that a
person has not offered to do voluntarily and is made to do under the threat of
punishment or retaliation, or is demanded as a means of repayment of debt.
12. Definition of human trafficking: The recruitment, transfer, harbouring or
receipt of persons, by means of the use of threat, force, other forms of coercion,
or deception for the purpose of exploitation.
13. Definition of remediation of children: All support and actions necessary
to ensure the safety, health, education, and development of children who have
been subjected to child labour, as defined above, and have been subsequently
dismissed.
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14. Definition of home worker: A person who is contracted by the company or

by a supplier, sub-supplier or subcontractor, but does not work on their
premises.
15. Definition of SA8000 worker representative: A worker chosen to
facilitate communication with senior management on matters related to SA8000,
undertaken by the recognized trade union(s) in unionised facilities and,
elsewhere, by a worker elected by non-management personnel for that purpose.
16. Management representative: A member of senior management personnel
appointed by the company to ensure that the requirements of the standard are
met.
17. Worker organisation: A voluntary association of workers organised on a
continuing basis for the purpose of maintaining and improving their terms of
employment and workplace conditions.
18. Collective bargaining agreement: A contract for labour negotiated
between an employer or group of employers and one or more worker
organisations, which specifies the terms and conditions of employment.

IV. SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. CHILD LABOUR
Criteria:
1.1. The company shall not engage in or support the use of child labour as
defined above.
1.2. The company shall establish, document, maintain, and effectively
communicate to personnel and other interested parties, policies and
written procedures for remediation of children found to be working in
situations which fit the definition of child labour above, and shall provide
adequate financial and other support to enable such children to attend
and remain in school until no longer a child as defined above.
1.3. The company may employ young workers, but where such young workers
are subject to compulsory education laws, they may work only outside of
school hours. Under no circumstances shall any young worker’s school,
work, and transportation time exceed a combined total of 10 hours per
day, and in no case shall young workers work more than 8 hours a day.
Young workers may not work during night hours.
1.4. The company shall not expose children or young workers to any situations
– in or outside of the workplace – that are hazardous or unsafe to their
physical and mental health and development.

2. FORCED AND COMPULSORY LABOUR

Criteria:
2.1. The company shall not engage in or support the use of forced or
compulsory labour as defined in ILO Convention 29, nor shall personnel
be required to pay ‘deposits’ or lodge identification papers with the
company upon commencing employment.
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2.2. Neither the company nor any entity supplying labour to the company shall
withhold any part of any personnel’s salary, benefits, property, or
documents in order to force such personnel to continue working for the
company.
2.3. Personnel shall have the right to leave the workplace premises after
completing the standard workday, and be free to terminate their
employment provided that they give reasonable notice to their employer.
2.4. Neither the company nor any entity supplying labour to the company shall
engage in or support trafficking in human beings.

3. HEALTH AND SAFETY

Criteria:
3.1. The company shall provide a safe and healthy workplace environment
and shall take effective steps to prevent potential accidents and injury to
workers’ health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course
of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of
hazards inherent in the workplace environment, and bearing in mind the
prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards.
3.2. The company shall appoint a senior management representative to be
responsible for ensuring a safe and healthy workplace environment for all
personnel, and for implementing the Health and Safety elements of this
standard.
3.3. The company shall provide to personnel on a regular basis effective
health and safety instructions, including on-site instruction and, where
needed, job-specific instructions. Such instructions shall be repeated for
new and reassigned personnel and in cases where accidents have
occurred.
3.4. The company shall establish systems to detect, avoid, or respond to
potential threats to the health and safety of personnel. The company shall
maintain written records of all accidents that occur in the workplace and in
company-controlled residences and property.
3.5. The company shall provide at its expense appropriate personal protective
equipment to personnel. In the event of a work related injury the company
shall provide first aid and assist the worker in obtaining follow-up medical
treatment.
3.6. The company shall undertake to assess all the risks to new and expectant
mothers arising out of their work activity and to ensure that all reasonable
steps are taken to remove or reduce any risks to their health and safety.
3.7. The company shall provide, for use by all personnel, access to clean toilet
facilities, access to potable water, and, where applicable, sanitary facilities
for food storage.
3.8. The company shall ensure that any dormitory facilities provided for
personnel are clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the personnel.
3.9. All personnel shall have the right to remove themselves from imminent
serious danger without seeking permission from the company.

4. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION & RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Criteria:
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4.1. All personnel shall have the right to form, join, and organise trade unions
of their choice and to bargain collectively on their behalf with the
company. The company shall respect this right, and shall effectively
inform personnel that they are free to join an organisation of their
choosing and that their doing so will not result in any negative
consequences to them, or retaliation, from the company. The company
shall not in any way interfere with the establishment, functioning, or
administration of such workers’ organisations or collective bargaining.
4.2. In situations where the right to freedom of association and collective
bargaining are restricted under law, the company shall allow workers to
freely elect their own representatives.
4.3. The company shall ensure that representatives of workers and any
personnel engaged in organising workers are not subjected to
discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or retaliation for reason of their
being members of a union or participating in trade union activities, and
that such representatives have access to their members in the workplace.

5. DISCRIMINATION
Criteria:
5.1. The company shall not engage in or support discrimination in hiring,
remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination, or retirement
based on race, national or social origin, caste, birth, religion, disability,
gender, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, marital status, union
membership, political opinions, age, or any other condition that could give
rise to discrimination.
5.2. The company shall not interfere with the exercise of personnel’s rights to
observe tenets or practices, or to meet needs relating to race, national or
social origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, family
responsibilities, union membership, political opinions, or any other
condition that could give rise to discrimination.
5.3. The company shall not allow any behaviour that is threatening, abusive,
exploitative, or sexually coercive, including gestures, language, and
physical contact, in the workplace and, where applicable, in residences
and other facilities provided by the company for use by personnel.
5.4. The company shall not subject personnel to pregnancy or virginity tests
under any circumstances.

6. DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES
Criterion:
6.1. The company shall treat all personnel with dignity and respect. The
company shall not engage in or tolerate the use of corporal punishment,
mental or physical coercion, or verbal abuse of personnel. No harsh or
inhumane treatment is allowed.

7. WORKING HOURS
Criteria:
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7.1. The company shall comply with applicable laws and industry standards on
working hours and public holidays. The normal work week, not including
overtime, shall be defined by law but shall not exceed 48 hours.
7.2. Personnel shall be provided with at least one day off following every six
consecutive days of working. Exceptions to this rule apply only where both
of the following conditions exist:
a) National law allows work time exceeding this limit; and
b) A freely negotiated collective bargaining agreement is in force that allows
work time averaging, including adequate rest periods.
7.3. All overtime work shall be voluntary, except as provided in 7.4 below, shall
not exceed 12 hours per week, nor be requested on a regular basis.
7.4. In cases where overtime work is needed in order to meet short-term
business demand and the company is party to a collective bargaining
agreement freely negotiated with worker organisations (as defined above)
representing a significant portion of its workforce, the company may
require such overtime work in accordance with such agreements. Any
such agreement must comply with the requirements above.

8. REMUNERATION
Criteria:
8.1. The company shall respect the right of personnel to a living wage and
ensure that wages paid for a normal work week shall always meet at least
legal or industry minimum standards and shall be sufficient to meet the
basic needs of personnel and to provide some discretionary income.
8.2. The company shall ensure that deductions from wages are not made for
disciplinary purposes. Exceptions to this rule apply only when both of the
following conditions exist:
a) Deductions from wages for disciplinary purposes are permitted by national
law; and
b) A freely negotiated collective bargaining agreement is in force.
8.3. The company shall ensure that personnel’s wages and benefits
composition are detailed clearly and regularly in writing for them for each
pay period. The company shall also ensure that wages and benefits are
rendered in full compliance with all applicable laws and that remuneration
is rendered either in cash or check form, in a manner convenient to
workers.
8.4. All overtime shall be reimbursed at a premium rate as defined by national
law. In countries where a premium rate for overtime is not regulated by
law or a collective bargaining agreement, personnel shall be compensated
for overtime at a premium rate or equal to prevailing industry standards,
whichever is more favourable to workers’ interests.
8.5. The company shall not use labour-only contracting arrangements,
consecutive shortterm contracts, and/or false apprenticeship schemes to
avoid fulfilling its obligations to personnel under applicable laws pertaining
to labour and social security legislation and regulations.

9. MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Criteria:
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Policy
9.1. Top management shall define in writing, in workers’ own language, the
company’s policy for social accountability and labour conditions, and
display this policy and the SA8000 standard in a prominent, easily
viewable place on the company’s premises, to inform personnel that it has
voluntarily chosen to comply with the requirements of the SA8000
standard. Such policy shall clearly include the following commitments:
a) To conform to all requirements of this standard;
b) To comply with national and other applicable laws and other
requirements to which the company subscribes, and to respect the
international instruments and their interpretation (as listed in Section II
above);
c) To review its policy regularly in order to continually improve, taking into
consideration changes in legislation, in its own code-ofconduct
requirements, and any other company requirements;
d) To see that its policy is effectively documented, implemented,
maintained, communicated, and made accessible in a comprehensible
form to all personnel, including directors, executives, management,
supervisors, and staff, whether directly employed by, contracted with,
or otherwise representing the company;
e) To make its policy publicly available in an effective form and manner to
interested parties, upon request.
Management Representative
9.2. The company shall appoint a senior management representative who,
irrespective of other responsibilities, shall ensure that the requirements of
this standard are met.
SA8000 Worker Representative
9.3. The company shall recognize that workplace dialogue is a key component
of social accountability and ensure that all workers have the right to
representation to facilitate communication with senior management in
matters relating to SA8000. In unionised facilities, such representation
shall be undertaken by recognized trade union(s). Elsewhere, workers
may elect a SA8000 worker representative from among themselves for
this purpose. In no circumstances, shall the SA8000 worker
representative be seen as a substitute for trade union representation.
Management Review
9.4. Top management shall periodically review the adequacy, suitability, and
continuing effectiveness of the company’s policy, procedures, and
performance results vis-à-vis the requirements of this standard and other
requirements to which the company subscribes. Where appropriate,
system amendments and improvements shall be implemented. The
worker representative shall participate in this review.
Planning and Implementation
9.5. The company shall ensure that the requirements of this standard are
understood and implemented at all levels of the organisation. Methods
shall include, but are not limited to:
a) Clear definition of all parties’ roles, responsibilities, and authority;
b) Training of new, reassigned, and/or temporary personnel upon hiring;
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c) Periodic instruction, training, and awareness programs for existing

personnel;
d) Continuous monitoring of activities and results to demonstrate the
effectiveness of systems implemented to meet the company’s policy
and the requirements of this standard.
9.6. The company is required to consult the SA8000 Guidance Document for
interpretative guidance with respect to this standard.
Control of Suppliers/Subcontractors and Sub-Suppliers
9.7. The company shall maintain appropriate records of
suppliers/subcontractors’ (and, where appropriate, sub-suppliers’)
commitments to social accountability, including, but not limited to,
contractual agreements and/or the written commitment of those
organisations to:
a) Conform to all requirements of this standard and to require the same
of subsuppliers;
b) Participate in monitoring activities as requested by the company;
c) Identify the root cause and promptly implement corrective and
preventive action to resolve any identified non-conformance to the
requirements of this standard;
d) Promptly and completely inform the company of any and all relevant
business relationship(s) with other suppliers/subcontractors and sub-
suppliers.
9.8. The company shall establish, maintain, and document in writing
appropriate procedures to evaluate and select suppliers/subcontractors
(and, where appropriate, sub-suppliers) taking into account their
performance and commitment to meet the requirements of this standard.
9.9. The company shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that the
requirements of this standard are being met by suppliers and
subcontractors within their sphere of control and influence.
9.10. In addition to the requirements of Sections 9.7 through 9.9 above, where
the company receives, handles, or promotes goods and/or services from
suppliers/subcontractors or sub-suppliers who are classified as home
workers, the company shall take special steps to ensure that such home
workers are afforded a level of protection similar to that afforded to directly
employed personnel under the requirements of this standard. Such
special steps shall include, but not be limited to:
a) Establishing legally binding, written purchasing contracts requiring
conformance to minimum criteria in accordance with the requirements
of this standard;
b) Ensuring that the requirements of the written purchasing contract are
understood and implemented by home workers and all other parties
involved in the purchasing contract;
c) Maintaining, on the company premises, comprehensive records
detailing the identities of home workers, the quantities of goods
produced, services provided, and/or hours worked by each home
worker;
d) Frequent announced and unannounced monitoring activities to verify
compliance with the terms of the written purchasing contract.
Addressing Concerns and Taking Corrective Action
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9.11. The company shall provide a confidential means for all personnel to report
non-conformances with this standard to the company management, and
the worker representative. The company shall investigate, address, and
respond to the concerns of personnel and other interested parties with
regard to conformance/non-conformance with the company’s policies
and/or the requirements of this standard. The company shall refrain from
disciplining, dismissing, or otherwise discriminating against any personnel
for providing information concerning observance of the standard.
9.12. The company shall identify the root cause, promptly implement corrective
and preventive action, and allocate adequate resources appropriate to the
nature and severity of any identified non-conformance with the company’s
policy and/or the standard.
Outside Communication and Stakeholder Engagement
9.13. The company shall establish and maintain procedures to communicate
regularly to all interested parties data and other information regarding
compliance with the requirements of this document, including, but not
limited to, the results of management reviews and monitoring activities.
9.14. The company shall demonstrate its willingness to participate in dialogues
with all interested stakeholders, including, but not limited to: workers,
trade unions, suppliers, subcontractors, sub-suppliers, buyers,
nongovernmental organisations, and local and national government
officials, aimed at attaining sustainable compliance with this standard.
Access for Verification
9.15. In the case of announced and unannounced audits of the company for the
purpose of certifying its compliance with the requirements of this standard,
the company shall ensure access to its premises and to reasonable
information required by the auditor.
Records
9.16. The company shall maintain appropriate records to demonstrate
conformance to the requirements of this standard.