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SA 8000: Social accountability certification
Overview
SA8000 is an international standard for improving working
conditions. This standard is based on the principles of the
international human rights norms as described in International
Labor Organisation conventions, the United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. SA 8000 is the first auditable social standard
and is independent of government bodies and single interest
groups.
SA 8000 certification
SA8000
measures the
performance of organisations in eight key areas: child labour,
forced labour, health and safety, freedom of association and
collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices,
working hours and remuneration.
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The systems put in place to achieve this certification are
an ongoing process and involves the participation of employees
to ensure systemic change. The benefits of adopting SA8000
includes improved staff morale, reliable business partnerships,
enhanced competitiveness, less staff turnover and better worker-manager
communication.
The SA 8000 certification facilitates the integration of labour
standards into factory management systems. This certification
enables organisations to rigorously ensure the code compliance
demanded by international labour laws and the market.
Certification process
Certification to the SA 8000 requires every facility seeking
certification to be audited. Auditors will visit factories to
assess corporate practice on a wide range of issues and evaluate
the state of a company's management systems. After the organisation
has implemented the recommended improvements, it will be awarded
a certificate attesting its compliance with SA 8000. This certificate
is a testimony of the organisation's good practice processes
and significantly improves workplace conditions. The certification
process is a multiple-step process. The certification cycle
is described briefly:
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Application for certification from client |
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Offer from TUV India |
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Offer acceptance from client and order
confirmation by TUV India |
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Preaudit (optional) |
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Certification audit |
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Issue of certificate on successful completion
of certification audit |
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Surveillance audits at defined interval |
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Recertification audit |
Benefits of SA 8000
SA8000 certified facilities enjoy a competitive advantage and
workers experience concrete benefits. Some of the benefits are
detailed below:
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Enhanced opportunities to organise trade
unions and bargain collectively |
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Enhances company and brand reputation |
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Improves employee recruitment, retention
and productivity |
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Supports better supply chain management
and performance |
Contact
Ms.Lina Vivek
Manager – Certification & SA 8000
Auditor
Tel: 022-6647 7000
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022
66477081
Email: lina@tuv-nord.com
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