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To help SAI improve the quality of life of working people around
the world, click here to make a pledge today. Your gift will be tax deductible.
SAI is a 501 (C)(3)
charitable organization.
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More Than 1,000,000 People Now Work in
SA8000 Facilities!
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Summary Statistics as of December 31, 2008
Total facilities currently certified: 1,874
New facilities certified this year: 111
Countries represented: 66
Industries represented: 67
Workers employed: 1,067,703
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The
12th anniversary of our incorporation is May 7! SAI thanks all of you for past,
present and future, work with us as we continue to try to provide the tools for
workers and managers, for retail and wholesale customers, that will provide real
progress toward decent work for all.
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SAI China: Notes from the Field
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"Made-By China" Program Update
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The Made-By China Program is a joint project implemented
by SAI and Solidaridad. The
project is to develop a flagship clothing line "Made-By China" that incorporates
organic cotton production, socially responsible manufacturing and fair trade
practices. The main objectives of the joint project are to bring the benefits
of global markets directly to small holder cotton farmers and to
facilitate the setup of a vertical apparel chain compliant with SA8000.
In recent news, an additional
plantation in Kuqa has joined Made-by-China, and will start sowing
shortly. This year the organic planted area will cover 133 hectares, on a trial basis. If production
and marketing go well in 2009, the total planted area can increase
to 1000 hectares in coming years. The total cotton-growing area
in Xinjiang is roughly 1.35 million hectares. Most farmers in Xinjiang are
migrant farmers, from provinces such as Sichuan, Henan, Qinghai, and Gansu.
SAI's partner farm
in nearby Korla is a
unique plantation in Xinjiang; it
provides a day care center for pre-schoolers. Currently, the "Made by China"
program is working with literate farmers to enable them to operate
the day care center, benefitting their children greatly in terms of safety and
increased literacy. Whereas farmers typically do not receive payment until the
harvest, the Korla farm is paying their farmers a minimum wage on a monthly
basis. Since farmers don't have a local Hukou system (a household registration
system in China),
they are not able
to receive coverage with the "New Medical Insurance in Rural
Areas" system. To address
this need, commercial medical & injury insurance and a semi
annual health check are provided to the farmers and their
families.
Going
forward, SAI hopes to work with
Solidaridad to grow this program and increase awareness and support for cotton
farmers in China.
For more information, please contact Martin Ma
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Upcoming SAI Training Courses
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3-Day Advanced Auditor Training
May 4-6 Karachi, Pakistan Enroll Now
May 25-27: Shenzhen, China Enroll Now
5-Day Basic Auditor Training
May 10-14: Karachi, Pakistan Enroll Now
May 11-15 Shanghai, China Enroll Now
Professional Development Series
May 28-29: Shenzhen, China Enroll Now
SA8000: 2008 Standard Revision Training Course
April-June 2009: Web-Based Training Enroll Now
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5-Day Basic Auditor Training
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5-Day Basic Auditor Training
July 6-10: New Delhi, India Enroll Now
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SAI Welcomes a New
Corporate Programs Member
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Garnet Hill Joins SAI Corporate Programs
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SAI is pleased to welcome new
Supporting Member Garnet Hill to SAI Corporate
Programs.
Garnet Hill, Inc., established in
1976, operates as a catalog retailer of high quality products. The company offers
women's fashion, women's footwear, kids clothing, kids rooms, bedding and home,
and gifts and gift cards. It operates retail stores in Manchester, Vermont and at its headquarters in Franconia,
New Hampshire. The company's annual revenue totals approximately 35
million. It operates as a subsidiary of Cornerstone Brands,
Inc.
Supporting Membership, the
introductory level of SAI Corporate Programs, is a company's public statement
that it shares SAI's mission to improve social compliance in the workplace and
the supply chain. Supporting Members explore a program of work with SAI, such as
training, technical assistance, or participating in a multi-stakeholder program
of field work.
As a Supporting Member, Garnet Hill,
Inc. is currently working with SAI to develop and implement a comprehensive,
management systems-based social compliance program.
For more information, please visit their website, http://www.garnethill.com
For infomation on how to become a Corporate Member Click here
For a list of current SAI Corporate Members
Click here |
Since Tata
Steel's initial certification in 2005, implementation of SA8000 in the industry has
increased, and SAI's impact on working conditions in steel facilities in
India has grown substantially, with reports of positive effects on managing
sustainable growth.
In this context,
Rakesh Kulshreshtha, General Manager, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL),
recently reported positive results at the Bhilai Steel Plant:
"By adopting
the SA8000 standard, Bhilai Steel Plant of our Company has been able to
successfully address the social aspects of business. It has helped to
streamline our already existing HRM related policies and practices in line with
international standards. It has also created an opportunity to strengthen our
labor relations through transparent communications and meaningful dialogue. The
process of third party audit and certification has helped in identifying more
areas for improvement which have enriched the system further."
The effect
of the Bhilai Steel Plant's successful implementation has resulted in
encouragement of similar certifications in SAIL's other units in Salem and Bokaro Steel
Plant.
"I am confident that the move will benefit all the SAIL units
and they will reach a high level of maturity in their system implementation in
the near future."
SAIL is a fully
integrated iron and steel maker, producing both basic and special steels for
domestic construction, engineering, power, railway, automotive and defense
industries as well as for export. It is in the top ten public sector companies in
India in terms of turnover, and it is India's largest
producer of iron ore and has the country's
second largest mines network.
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Interns play a
tremendous role here at SAI. We are fortunate to
have two interns this spring
that
come from wonderfully
diverse backgrounds. We are proud to introduce you to Starlene Johnson and Sharad Singhani, in
their own words:
Starlene Johnson, on herself:
"I have always felt compelled to work or volunteer to improve social conditions. Working at SAI has allowed me to bridge my business and non-profit backgrounds to positively affect others' work conditions and through that, their lives. Since finishing a Masters in Public Administration at NYU, I have worked as a research analyst, first in the mergers and acquisitions group at a major law firm and more recently at a value-oriented hedge fund. While completing my undergraduate education at Evergreen College, I worked in non-profit consulting, both in program design and impact analysis."
On her experience at SAI:
"I am really excited about the work being done at SAI. Whether focusing on industries or public policy, multinational brands or international suppliers, I believe much of the success that SAI has had in implementing social responsibility has come not from a blanket approach of applying best practices, but the time that is invested in understanding each project and customizing solutions as needed."
"Having historically analyzed companies based on their financial merit, I find it extremely interesting to consider how social factors ultimately affect the bottom line. I am working predominately in the Corporate Programs and Training group, and am involved in a number of projects aimed at demonstrating and/or increasing the business benefits associated with social compliance."
Sharad Singhani on himself:
I'm currently a student at NYU, majoring in economics with minors in business and math. I'm an avid tennis player, and have been playing the sport for over ten years. I also like to travel, and have been to India many times. Being able to witness the poverty and conditions firsthand in India played a large part in my decision to join SAI."
On his experience at SAI:
"I chose to volunteer my time at SAI because of the work they do. I
strongly believe in social responsibility, and I knew that I would be
partaking in work for a good cause. I'm really interested in learning
about the progress of corporate social responsibility and how far it
has come.
I'm currently working on administrative duties for SAI, and am about to start on a number of projects for SAAS. Some of these projects include editing and developing some marketing material, organizing data, and possible some website maintenance."
We are always welcoming new interns, for opportunities click here
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BSCI Stakeholder Board Meeting
SAI President,
Alice Tepper Marlin, recently
attended the semi-annual
BSCI Stakeholder Board Meeting on April 16, 2009 in Brussels,
Belgium. Meeting organizers
included SAI Advisory Board members, Jan Eggert, BSCI CEO, and Lorenz Berzau, BSCI Managing Director. Subjects included
tackling overtime and compensation problems in the supply chain, improving Round
Tables in supplier countries, and brainstorming on a joint BSCI-stakeholder
project.
European Parliament's Human Rights
Sub-Committee
While in Brussels,
Ms. Tepper
Marlin also attended a public hearing held by the European Parliament where Dr. John Ruggie, the UN
Secretary General's Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, and
Richard Howitt MEP, delivered a talk on business and human rights. Dr. Ruggie delivered an insightful case to the European Parliament on the state's duty to protect people against abuses of human rights and victims' right to access remedies.
Dr. Ruggie and Mr. Howitt both criticized the polarization of Europe: advocates of a voluntary approach versus advocates of binding regulation.
Richard Howitt
MEP, Vice-Chair of the Human Rights Sub-Committee said, "Professor Ruggie has
pointed out that the EU's current tack of giving businesses only a voluntary
steer does not give our European companies the real guidance they need to
protect human rights and avoid their businesses and shareholders from being
anyway involved or complicit with human rights abuses along their supply chain."
The hearing was organized by the European Parliament's sub-Committee on human rights.
For a report on this hearing, click here
SAI Featured in Dubai Newsletter
The March-April edition of CSR Al Youm, the Dubai Chamber's bi-monthly newsletter promoting responsible business
in the U.A.E., featured SAI in the article entitled, "Promoting Social
Responsibility in the Workplace,"
The article referenced the importance of companies recognizing a
strongly motivated and skilled workforce, leading to and creating competitive
advantages.
Providing a snapshot of how Dubai businesses are
making a difference, CSR
Al Youm referred to the importance of globalization
in the workforce and how human capital within organizations has become a key
point of focus within mainstream business practices. It recognized SAI's SA8000 Standard
as the most widely recognized certified standard, serving as the premiere tool to apply responsible
workplace practices, improve performance and to demonstrate commitment to employees
and stakeholders alike.CSR Al Youm is published by the Dubai Ethics Resource Center, an initiative of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. To access this article, click here |
Announcements and Upcoming Events
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Ethical Corporation's 8th Annual Responsible Business Summit
11-12 May 2009, London,
UK
This event is the largest CSR conference in Europe. With over 500 senior-level attendees each year,
this is THE meeting place for CR professionals in 2009.
For more information, click here
Ethical Corporation's Global Corporate Responsibility Reporting Summit
11-12 June 2009, Brussels, Belgium
Ethical Corporation's Global CR Reporting Summit will provide you with practical skills and
knowledge to deliver a powerful, effective CR report - and improve your
overall sustainability communications strategy. For more information, click here
World Innovation Summit
17-19 June 2009, Barcelona, Spain
HiT Barcelona's World Innovation Summit, taking place June 17-19 2009, features the CleanTech Innovation Marketplace, bringing together leading thinkers and highlighting the essential issues in one of the world's most dynamic industry sectors.
For more information, click here
International Labor Standards, Rights and Beyond Conference 14-15 August 2009, Stanford Law School, CaliforniaThe conference will
focus on the development of international labor standards and rights, beginning
with a keynote address by Judge Rosemary Barkett of the United States Court of
Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The topics speakers will address include
country-specific labor programs linking trade and labor rights, and the role of the World Trade Organization and
the International Labor Organization. Dan
Henkle, SAI Advisory Board Chairman and Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility at Gap, Inc. is a featured speaker at this upcoming event. For more information, click here
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Full-time Scaling up Director at ISEAL Alliance
ISEAL Alliance, based in London, UK, seeks a Scaling Up Director to lead ISEAL in developing and implementing a strategy for scaling up the impacts of voluntary social and environmental standards systems. For more information, click here
Full-Time MFA Forum Country Programmes Manager The MFA Forum seeks a Country Programmes Manager to work directly with the MFA Forum Senior Manager and the Coordinator(s) within the Secretariat for the management and implementation of policy and strategy for our in-country working groups. For more information, click here |
We invite you to continually send any updates for us to publish in our monthly newsletters!
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email: jong@sa-intl.org
contact: Joleen Ong, +1/212/684/1414 x243
web: http://www.sa-intl.org
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