Huaweida Testing & Certification (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

SA 8000 Social Accountability Management System

The international standard SA 8000 encourages organizations to develop, maintain and implement socially acceptable workplace practices. Developed in 1997 by Social Accountability International (SAI), formerly Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency (CEPAA), it is the world’s most widely recognized independent labour standard and applicable to organizations of all sizes worldwide. The areas covered by the SA 8000 standard include child labour, occupational health and safety, freedom of association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours, remuneration and management systems. In addition to establishing universally applicable workplace criteria, SA 8000 incorporates provisions from existing international instruments, including International Labour Organization Conventions, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The SA8000 framework can improve an enterprise’s appeal to existing and potential employees, on which HR teams can build their activities. “Utilizing the SA8000 framework delivers pure economic value,” said Ms. Kaufman from CEPAA. “If you invest in training workers, you will gain healthier partners and more loyal employees. Investing in employees by fostering healthier working relations brings returns in higher productivity and morale. Surveys indicate employees become more familiar with their jobs, maintain better training levels and grow into more competent workers. People definitely tend to choose companies that act ethically and uphold human rights commitments, and they take pride in working for such enterprises.”

Service Content

SA8000 establishes minimum requirements in the following areas with consistent standards:

Child Labour: Enterprises shall control the minimum working age, young workers, school internships, working hours and safe working scope in accordance with laws.
Forced Labour: Enterprises shall not engage in or support the use of forced labour, nor use inducements or require deposits for employment. Enterprises must allow employees to leave after shifts and permit employees to resign.
Health and Safety: Enterprises shall provide a safe and healthy working environment, protection against accidents and injuries, health and safety education, sanitation maintenance facilities and readily available drinking water.
Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining: Enterprises respect the right of all personnel to form and join trade unions of their choice and conduct collective bargaining.
Discrimination: Enterprises shall not discriminate on grounds of race, social origin, nationality, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
Disciplinary Practices: Physical punishment, mental and physical coercion and verbal abuse are prohibited.
Working Hours: Enterprises must comply with applicable regulations. Employees shall not work more than 60 hours per week; overtime must be voluntary, and employees shall have at least one day off per week.
Remuneration: Wages shall meet the statutory and industry minimum standards and allow discretionary income after covering basic needs. Employers shall provide allowances and clarify treatments and deductions, and shall not evade labour laws through fraudulent training programmes.
Management System: Enterprises shall formulate a publicly available policy committing to compliance with relevant laws and other provisions; ensure management reviews, appoint enterprise representatives to supervise plan implementation and controls, select suppliers who also meet SA8000 requirements, establish channels for voicing concerns and implement corrective actions, maintain open communication with auditors, provide applicable inspection methods, and present supporting documents and records.

Value & Benefits

Reduce second-party audits of suppliers by overseas customers and cut relevant costs.
Enable enterprises to achieve higher compliance with local regulatory requirements.
Build international credibility.
Foster positive consumer perception of products.
Win long-term confidence from business partners in the enterprise.

Service Process

Application Submission
Review and Acceptance
Preliminary Visit
Contract Signing
Document Submission
Audit Team Formation
Document Preliminary Review
Audit Preparation
Preliminary Audit
Certification Audit
Submission of Audit Report and Conclusions
Examination by Technical Committee
Approval for Registration
Issuance of Certification Certificate
Announcement of Certified Company
Surveillance Audit

FAQ

Our Advantages

Authoritative Qualifications

HWD | HuaWayDa is a comprehensive third-party service institution integrating inspection, testing, metrology, certification, training and enterprise technical services. It consists of Management Center, Marketing & Customer Service Center, Laboratory, Certification Center, Management Institute, Sustainable Development Center and Enterprise Service Center, and is committed to providing customers with professional, efficient and authoritative one-stop enterprise solutions.

HWD | HuaWayDa holds CNCA approval certificate, CMA qualification, measurement standard assessment certificate, CNAS accreditation and other relevant qualifications.

We strive to build long-term and mutually trustful partnerships with clients. We are not merely a service provider for your current projects, but also a reliable think tank and companion on your journey to pursue excellent management.

Choosing us means you are not only selecting a service, but also a long-term partner rooted in professionalism with your success as our mission. We promise to help you build a solid management foundation and sustainable competitive advantages with our professional capabilities.

Submit Your Requirements Now

Our expert team provides high-quality solutions for you

Recommended Services

Related Downloads