SA 8000 Certification in India - Process, Requirement, Documents

SA 8000 Certification in India – Process, Requirement, Documents

Introduction

SA 8000 is the Social Accountability Standard. Companies get SA 8000 Certification in India With this certification the company shows, that the company cares a lot about social responsibility. and the company fulfills its social responsibilities in a better way. It ensures fair, equitable, and stakeholder work, transparent, and environmental business practices, including NGOs, your employees, and investment analysts.

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Table of Contents

SA 8000 Certification

SA8000 is a social accountability standard. This certification develops socially and ethically responsible practices in organizations. This certification was developed by SAI. SAI means Social Accountability International. This certification is an international standard based on human rights norms. This international standard covers labor practices, social security, environment, social health in social accountability. SA 8000 certification includes child labor and forced labor, occupational safety, collective bargaining and health and freedom of association, discrimination, working hours, compensation, disciplinary practices, management systems, etc.

History of SA 8000 Certification

This certification was first named CEPAA. This certification was started in 1997 by an NGO. CEPAA means Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency. After this, the name of this certification was changed to SAI. It is the first international standard for corporate social accountability. This standard satisfies human rights conventions and relevant localities. The important objective of this standard is to guarantee the rights of workers working in construction systems.

SA 8000 Certification Process in India

Obtaining this certification requires you to go through some important stages. You have to follow some rules and principles. And till the end, you follow the rules better. And if you complete the steps in a better way, then you get this certification. In this process, you must apply and establish management systems for better human rights and social welfare in the organization. Better management policies need to be established in the organization.

Application: To obtain SA8000 Certification, the organization contacts a SAAS (certification body). SAAS stands for an accredited auditing firm. The organization has to apply for SA8000 to this body. All the required documents of the organization for this certification, Which are mentioned below, are important in the application. The organization will provide all the documents to the certification body.

Effective Internal audit: The certification body receives the organization’s application. The body sends an auditor to visit the organization. This person does effective auditing in the organization or company. And checks the authenticity of the information sent by the organization. Inspects the qualifications of the workers in the organization. Finds out the errors of the organization. Establishes better and globally level management in the organization. And gives better training and motivation to the employees. When auditors find that the business is eligible for this certification. After that, the final report prepared by the auditor is sent to the certification body.

Achieve certification: The certification body receives the final report After that, the certification body checks the authenticity of the final report. then The certification body provides 8000 certifications to the organization.

The Benefit of SA8000 Certification

This standard creates awareness among the organization and society about the labor rights of workers.

SA 8000 certification lays more emphasis on issues like labor rights. And guides companies to ensure fair and humane working conditions.

This Standard promotes public awareness in the organization.

SA 8000 Certification strengthens the company’s brand and the reputation of the organization.

Organizations utensil management systems to lift employee recruitment, performance, and better supply chain management.

This certification provides reliable and clear assurance for ethical decisions.

SA 8000 standard provides comprehensive coverage of the organization’s production geography and product categories.

This certification provides best practices in operations, business, and ethical employment.

SA8000 certification enlarges the assurance of the workers in the organization and inspires the employees to gain results.

This Certification brings transparency to the organization and other stakeholders.

It attracts new investors and customers to provide continuity to the business.

This standard establishes socially compliant procedures in the organization. Organizations get better export opportunities.

This certification provides improvements in supply chain performance and management across the organization.

SA 8000 standard enables the organization to have proper social accountability. This helps new businesses to expand systematically at the local level.

This standard reduces the time of benchmarking. And increases the reliability and consistency of those metrics.

What Are The Required Documents For SA 8000 Certification?

Documents proving the business is legally valid under the Factories Act.

Social policies, social processes, and related documents.

Organization’s health and safety-related documents.

Documents related to management systems for improving the environment.

Organization system manual documents.

The company system processes documents.

Documents related to the organization’s policies.

Documents related to the company’s objectives.

The company’s mission document and company vision document.

The organization’s standard operating procedure document.

Company’s checklist.

Company’s form document.

Company’s format document.

Organization’s size document.

Regular production processes in the organization, management policies, and systems are implemented to achieve social objectives.

Documentation of the quality of production in the organization.

Who Can Get SA 8000 Certificate?

Food manufacturing companies, clothing manufacturing companies, medical device manufacturing companies, furniture manufacturing companies, etc. can also get this certification.

Companies and organizations in the service sector

Hospitals can also obtain this certification for social welfare.

Electronic industries can also establish SA standards.

The educational sector, schools, colleges, coaching centers, etc.

Research foundations & Engineering companies.

In the fitness sector, such as gyms, etc.

Shipping industries.

Aerospace Companies and organizations.

Automotive companies.

Telecommunication companies and organizations.

Textile and apparel companies, organizations, and shops can also get this certification.

Testing laboratories and medical can also get this certification for social welfare.

Software design companies and organizations.

IT Companies.

Requirements of SA8000 Certification

This certification focuses on requirements related to young workers. According to this standard, young workers can work after school only if they meet compulsory education laws. No organization can make a young worker work for more than 8 hours a day. And organizations cannot make a young worker work at night either.

According to this standard, workers have the right to a break at the end of the workday. This standard also furnishes the right to give notice to employees if their employment is to be terminated for any reason.

This standard provides guidelines for reducing health risks to pregnant and breastfeeding women in the organization or workplace. and These standards furnish guidelines for organizations to assess risks associated with employees.

This standard furnishes the right to freedom of collective bargaining in the organization. This certification provides rules for workers or employees to organize trade unions.

The SA8000 standard protects employees from discrimination based on race, caste, sex, political affiliation, religion or race. This standard ensures that the supplier has a written anti-discrimination policy for employees.

These certifications address disciplinary behavior requirements. This standard instructs suppliers to treat employees with respect and dignity during disciplinary proceedings. The standard prohibits mental or physical coercion, corporal punishment, verbal abuse, and inhumane treatment.

This standard does not allow organizations to make workers work for more than six days Repeatedly. with It is obligatory to supply at least one day of rest. And there cannot be more than 12 hours of overtime.

SA 8000 certification also audits the supplier to check whether your organization is paying a decent living wage to the workers or not.

It Specifies preventive measures, policies, corrective actions, and improved documentation requirements for factory management to comply with full SA8000 certification.

Why is SA8000 Standard Important?

SA 8000 Certification prohibits child and forced labor in the organization and does not allow it. This certification is very important for social welfare. This standard plays an important role in society. There is no bias of any kind in, it standard is important for open and honest recruitment systems. This standard establishes such working conditions in the organization. Which gives priority to the safety and health of workers. This certification provides opportunities for better interaction between managers and workers and provides a favorable environment.

Who Can Issue SA 8000 Certification?

SA 8000 is an independent certification. The government has no authority over this certification. This certification is provided only by external bodies, It is also called a third party. The third party is one of the members of the ISO organization. Therefore we need a better third party that gives us better guidance and helps in implementing SA certification in business. You can contact A Star Legal Associates are provides SA certification and consultancy and is always ready to help you obtain it.

Conclusion

SA 8000 Certification in India is very important. it develops socially and ethically responsible practices in organizations. This certification improves the social responsibilities of the organization. Both society and organizations get better benefits from this certification.