About SA 8000

SA 8000 covers the following areas of accountability:

Child labor: No workers under the age of 15; minimum lowered to 14 for countries operating under the ILO Convention 138 developing-country exception; remediation of any child found to be working

Forced labor: No forced labor, including prison or debt bondage labor; no lodging of deposits or identity papers by employers or outside recruiters

Workplace safety and health: Provide a safe and healthy work environment; take steps to prevent injuries; regular health and safety worker training; system to detect threats to health and safety; access to bathrooms and potable water.

Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining: Respect the right to form and join trade unions and bargain collectively; where law prohibits these freedoms, facilitate parallel means of association and bargaining

Discrimination: No discrimination based on race, caste, origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union or political affiliation, or age; no sexual harassment

Discipline: No corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion or verbal abuse

Working hours: Comply with the applicable law but, in any event, no more than 48 hours per week with at least one day off for every seven day period; voluntary overtime paid at a premium rate and not to exceed 12 hours per week on a regular basis; overtime may be mandatory if part of a collective bargaining agreement

Remuneration: Wages paid for a standard work week must meet the legal and industry standards and be sufficient to meet the basic need of workers and their families; no disciplinary deductions

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

How QSI Can Help

QSI can help organizations by providing fundamental Training Services to help interpret the requirements of SA 8000. We also offer advanced SA 8000 training for Auditors and Lead Auditors based on ISO 19011.

With extensive experience with Quality Management Systems in the Automotive Industry Supply Chain, our Approach to Certification services is one where we create positive environment conducive for achieving Management System objectives.

The Steps for Certification page indicates the process that we undertake for certification to SA 8000 based on ISO 17021 (The standard that applies to Management System Certification Bodies).

Our Third Party Certification for SA 8000 is currently offered on a non-accredited basis. Accredited SA 8000 Certification Services are referred to our partner Certification Bodies.

QSI can support organizations that are currently certified or that have already chose a Certification Body by providing Assessment Services to either help get them ready for Certification and/or by providing on-going Internal Audits after SA 8000 Certification has been achieved.

For individual SA 8000 Auditors, Consultants, Instructors and Technical Experts that wish to become Certified, QSI administers a Personnel Certification Program based on ISO 17024.

If you need additional information on how QSI can help you meet your organizational or personal development and improvement objectives, please free to Contact Us.