It was created in 1989 by Social Accountability International (SAI), an affiliate of the Council on Economic Priorities, and is viewed as the most globally accepted independent workplace standard. It can be applied to any company, of any size, worldwide.
The most widely recognized global standard for managing human rights in the workplace is Social Accountability International’s SA 8000:2014. It is an auditable standard, suitable for organizations of all sizes anywhere in the world, and provides a framework for assuring all your stakeholders that social accountability is being stewarded by your management.
SA 8000 certification addresses issues including forced and child labor, occupational health and safety, freedom of association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, compensation, and management systems.
As well as setting workplace standards, worldwide, SA 8000 also embraces existing international agreements, including conventions from the International Labor Organization, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.