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Over 1 Million Employees Work in SA8000 Certified Facilities!
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The Growing Use of SA8000 in Spain
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SA8000 Certified Facilities in Spain are up to 22 this year. With
approximately 28,783 employees that work in SA8000 certified facilities, Spain is second in all of Europe. The certified
facilities represent diverse sectors, including agriculture, waste management
and engineering. Currently 6 SAAS-accredited certification bodies work in Spain:
Bureau Veritas Certification (BV), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), IQNET Ltd.,
SGS-SSC, and TUV Rheinland Group.
"We are very pleased with the growth of SA8000 certifications in Spain across sectors," said Sean Ansett, SAI's European Representative
who is based in Madrid,
"These certifications demonstrate that supply chain labor right issues are
seen as material by Spanish firms and represent the maturing practice of
corporate social responsibility in the country."
Recent SA8000 activities in Spain certainly contribute to the
increased interest in the standard. The first basic auditor training
course took place last June in Madrid,
with 20 participants. Last February, SA8000 was cited as a tool in the Spanish
Global Compact working group's guide on responsible supply chain procurement-- "The Business and its Supply Chain: A Management Alternative, Application of the Global Compact's 10 Principles in Business Management,"-- in addition to those from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United National Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR).
Mr. Ansett recently published an article in "Gestion de
Compras," the premier buying profession trade magazine on Spain regarding
SAI, SA8000 and public procurement. He has also been a guest speaker at the CEU Business
School in Madrid where he shared his experiences with
implementing SA8000 in January. Additionally, last June, Sean taught a
class in the Corporate Social Responsibility Masters degree program at the
Universidad de Alcala regarding SAI's work and development of a responsible
purchasing program.
For more information,
please contact Sean Ansett, SAnsett@sa-intl.org |
Notes from the Field:
Project Cultivar in Central America
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Migrant Worker Rights:
Expanding Social Dialogue for Sustainable
Solutions
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Jean and Roberto, working in the Dominican Republic, cut and load
sugar cane, absorbing fibers into their skin and lungs; they are paid just $1.40 to $2.33 per metric ton. A ton is an enormous amount to harvest in one
day. The work is permanent but
contracts are short-term. Conditions pose grave occupational health hazards.
Workers lack training, protective equipment, potable water, sanitary facilities
and access to social security and health care. Most vulnerable of these workers
are the Haitian migrants, whose legal status prevents them from accessing basic
social services or procedures to exercise their labor rights. As Roberto
explained to SAI, he has no national identity; although born in the Dominican Republic,
his Haitian-born mother's lack of legal documentation places him in limbo,
unrecognized by either country.
The precarious work of Jean
and Roberto is not unique; an estimated 650,000 migrant workers in the Dominican Republic and 450,000 migrant workers
in Costa Rica
face similar challenges. Last year, SAI reported on an initiative that
presents the opportunity for improvements for migrant workers:
In September 2008, Haitian migrant workers, managers of banana
producers, the regional representative of the Labor Secretariat and local human
rights NGOs met in Northwest Dominican Republic, as a consultative group for Project
Cultivar--an SAI initiative to promote labor law compliance, funded by the U.S.
Department of Labor. Through a dialogue facilitated by SAI local partner
INCAP, the diverse group were able to identify their common interest in
normalizing the status of Haitian workers in the banana sector, and agreeing
that normalization to be a human rights and business imperative. The group
agreed to develop and present a platform of ideas to normalize the status of Haitian
workers in the banana sector to the
governments of Haiti and Dominican Republic.
The group continues to meet and to plan a bi-national conference to
present its platform. Socio political tensions caused the cancellation of the
first two scheduled conference dates, but the process initiated by the
multi-stakeholder group does demonstrate the feasibility of social dialogue. It can be built on by others, as well as these
participants. Expanding the social dialogue to include other crop sectors
throughout the country may enable the group to overcome the political and
social obstacles. SAI continues to support their initiative, believing that the
promotion of migrant workers rights requires multi-stakeholder participation
for sustainable solutions.
For more news and updates on Project Cultivar, click here
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A Look Inside SA8000: The Next Decade
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Book excerpt: SA8000: The First Decade. Implementation, Influence, and Impact, edited by Deborah Leipziger.
Chapter 2: OTTO and SA8000: A pilot project in the
lingerie-buying department
 "The SA8000 standard was to be used as a tool in India and Pakistan to ensure licensed
products were being manufactured in a socially responsible way (usually this
applies to the finishing of fabrics made from cotton and polyester). This is
because suppliers, particularly in India
and Pakistan,
frequently pass on work to subcontractors, which means the supply chain quickly
ceases to be transparent. For this reason, Buying Area 49 [responsible at OTTO
for the underwear and nightwear range] decided to implement the SA8000 standard
because it requires a management system that integrated the sub-suppliers,
subcontractors, and homeworkers.
Positive feedback was received from the suppliers in India and Pakistan. They reported that their productivity had
actually improved and that employees were happier after implementing the SA8000
standard, as both health and living standards had improved...Buying Area 49 will adhere to the aim of familiarizing new license
producers in India and Pakistan with
the SA8000 standard in the future. The market offices have been correspondingly
informed that if a longer-term business relationship becomes apparent, the
SA8000 standard will in principle be obligatory."
This chapter was written by Dr. Johannes Merck, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Otto Group. For more information or to order a copy of this book, click here |
Upcoming SAI Training Courses
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3-Day Advanced Auditor Training
August 24-26: Guangzhou, China Enroll Now
Professional Development Series
August 27-28: Guangzhou, China Enroll Now
Topics: Management Systems, Control of Sub-Contractors, Internal Compliance Teams, Overtime & Wages
SA8000: 2008 Standard Training Revision Course- Online Webinar
July-September 2009: Web-Based Training Enroll Now |
5-Day Basic Auditor Training September 7-11: Kampala, Uganda Enroll Now
3-Day Advanced Auditor Training
September 23-25: Milan, Italy Enroll Now
SA8000: 2008 Standard Training Revision Course- Online Webinar
July-September 2009: Web-Based Training Enroll Now |
5-Day Basic Auditor Training
October 5-9: Copenhagen, Denmark Enroll Now
October 19-23: Russia Enroll Now
3-Day Advanced Auditor Training
October/November TBD: Sao Paulo, Brazil Enroll Now
Professional Development Series
October/November TBD: San Jose, Costa Rica Enroll Now
Topics: Freedom of Association, Overtime & Wages
October/November TBD: Karachi, Pakistan Enroll Now
Topics: Freedom of Association, Overtime & Wages
October/November TBD: Istanbul, Turkey Enroll Now
Topics: Freedom of Association, Overtime & Wages
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Corporate Programs and Training Update
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Development of a Cost-Effective Vendor Capacity Building Program
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In response to the thrust towards building vendor capacity, SAI Corporate Programs & Training is pleased to announce the development of a Vendor Capacity Building Program.
The design goal of this program was to cost-effectively address the most relevant compliance issues, including control of sub-contractors and worker communication-- one of the ways to achieve this is to build local training capacity and team them with SAI lead trainers. This program aims to create modular training and tools to allow vendors to more easily develop management systems, and to also create standardization across a brand's supply chain. Its design has caught the attention from groups ranging from the Multi-Fiber Arrangement (MFA) Forum to the Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) Beyond Monitoring Working Group,who are both exploring the possibility of its utilization.
The motivation for this program is to support the management system component of the SA8000 standard, which requires all companies that seek certification to establish a system for ongoing compliance and continual improvement. The Vendor Capacity Building Program is tied to the implementation of SAI's Supplier Rating System which was introduced last year in the SAI Handbook: Implementing a Socially Responsible Supply Chain. More details on the Supplier Rating System will be featured in next month's newsletter.
For more information, contact Craig Moss, Director of Corporate Programs and Training, CMoss@sa-intl.org |
SAI and the ISEAL Alliance Launch Online Training to
Enhance Auditor Competence
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SAI and the International Social and Environmental
Accreditation and Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance
are pleased to announce the development of a training program designed for developers and managers of auditor training programs.
It aims to help organizations create and operate programs to enhance auditor competence to evaluate compliance with a standard.
SAI was contracted by the ISEAL Alliance to create this project, entitled "ISEAL Auditor Training Project: Framework for Developing an Effective Auditor Training Program." This project is a series of ten online training modules for standards systems to develop auditor training programs as playing a key role in strengthening the competencies needed to monitor compliance. It is also complemented by a toolbox of strategies, tools, templates and activities that they can use in delivering those training programs.
This training is available to all members of the ISEAL
alliance.
The ISEAL Alliance is the global hub for social and environmental
standard systems. ISEAL develops guidance and facilitates coordinated efforts
to ensure effectiveness and credibility and scale up their impacts. SAI is a founding member with full ISEAL
membership.
For more information, click here |
SAI Welcomes a New Staff Member
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 SAI welcomes new staff member Christie Daly as Executive
Assistant to the President, Alice Tepper Marlin. In her capacity, Ms. Daly will be responsible for assisting Ms. Tepper Marlin
with administrative and scheduling priorities.
Ms. Daly recently completed a master's degree from NYU's Center for Global
Affairs with a concentration in Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance.
During her studies, she was an intern at NYU School of Law Center for Human
Rights and Global justice where she conducted research on a variety of business
and human rights issues. Her master's thesis was focused on the influence
of civil society and grass roots movements in the development of corporate
social responsibility programs. Previously, Ms. Daly was Executive
Assistant and Project Associate at the NYC Department of Education in the
Office of Public and Community Affairs.
We are pleased to have Christie Daly join our team! |
SAI's Sean Ansett Reports on Responsible Supply Chain Transitions
Sean Ansett, SAI's European Representative, recently published an article in
General Electric (GE)'s Corporate Citizenship Report. This article reflects on some of the issues
that corporations, suppliers, workers and governments face as a result of the
current economic crisis. From buyers
fighting the lessening demands, to suppliers that are faced with difficulties
making wage payments and cash flow problems-these tough decisions make them
vulnerable to risks. To mitigate these risks and negative impacts, companies
have to develop responsible transition policies that affect all components of
the supply chain. He listed the steps
that companies should implement in order to take a positive role, and indicated
the importance of multi-stakeholder approaches to effectively address this
issue, most specifically the work of the MFA Forum.
To read the full article, click here. For more information, email Sean
Ansett, at SAnsett@sa-intl.org.
SAI Intern, Hope Lewis, Student Travel Book Author
Hope Lewis, a rising senior at Wellesley College
and intern in SAI's Latin American Programs Department, recently completed
writing a guidebook for students studying abroad in Argentina. This extraordinary
accomplishment, entitled, "A Student's Guide to Being Happy in Argentina," is a guide for students that
are studying a semester abroad in Argentina. This guide is the first
in its series, with more countries expected to be published. Ms. Lewis wrote
this guide while studying abroad in Buenos
Aires, Argentina,
during a semester of her junior year. This guide addresses the needs of
students-- from how to handle university classes, to establishing good relations
with host families, and places to spend time. Included in this guide is a
chapter for parents. This book is scheduled to be published September 2009 by Elevator Group Publishing, for more information, click here.
UTZ CERTIFIED launches Code of
Conduct for responsible tea production and partners with the ethical tea
partnership
 UTZ
Certified is proud to announce the official launch of its Code of Conduct for
responsible tea production and the certification of the first tea
producers. The Code consists of two
parts: one for farms and one for factories. Through this two-part system, specific labor, quality
and environmental issues in factories are also explicitly addressed. UTZ has also entered into an agreement with the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) to
streamline efforts and maximize benefits for producers.
UTZ Certified is a world-wide coffee certification program whose mission
is to set the world standard for socially and environmentally responsible
coffee production and sourcing. UTZ Certified is an associate member of the
ISEAL Alliance. For more information click here |
Announcements and Upcoming Events
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Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (BIM) Conference
1-2
September 2009, Vienna, Austria
The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (BIM), the Danish
Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) and the Centre for the Study of Global Ethics
(University of Birmingham) will convene a 2-day working conference to assemble
organizations, companies, civil society, scholars, and practitioners developing
CSR tools. The conference has two purposes: One, to promote first-hand
experience and best practice exchange among tool developing institutions
concerning e.g. the elaboration, implementation and monitoring of their tools; and second, to offer the opportunity to learn more about and discuss current
business issues with international experts and interested companies.
For more
information, click here
Implementing Core Labour Principles in Global Supply Chains:
A Training Course for Social Auditors
12-14 October 2009, Turin Italy
The International Training Centre of the ILO (ITC ILO) in Turin is administering a
new training course for social auditors. The course enhances the capacity of
third-party and in-house auditors to make use of the ILO's international system
in assessing compliance with labour principles, especially in areas that are
less observable such as freedom of association or discrimination. The course
aims at inspiring the daily practices of those conducting social audits, from
the preparation of the audits to the actual assessment exercise, by providing
practical and factual information on the core labour principles and their use
in social auditing schemes and methodologies. For more information, click here or contact Maria João Vasquez or Sophie Ouine Ethical Corporation's 3rd Annual
Corporate Responsibility
Reporting and Communications Summit
25-26 November 2009, Regent's Park Marriott Hotel, London
Ethical Corporation reports
that its summit will provide companies and NGOs with a benchmark against the
best, and demonstrate how to communicate positive sustainability messages.
Tools will be given to create a readable, transparent and precise corporate
responsibility report based on strategy, innovation, transparency, and
readability. Attending this summit will provide: innovative and practical
agenda of concrete best practices; advice from the experts; topical and
relevant programs; focus on interactivity; extension of networks and
improvement of support system. For more information, click here |
Internships with SAI and SAAS
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SAI and Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) seek highly motivated interns interested in research, management procedures, and the elimination of sweatshops worldwide. These
positions require interest in how businesses implement standards for
respecting labor rights and addressing overall workplace issues.
Applicants should possess initiative, work independently, and be a
strong organizer who can multitask and meet deadlines effectively.
Excellent computer skills required, including knowledge of Excel,
Access, Web development and Outlook. Candidates should have a
commitment to human rights, labor rights, and development issues. Internship positions are unpaid and based in our New York office.
For more information about internships with SAI, and to apply click here
For more information about internships with SAAS, and to apply click here |
We invite you to continually send any updates for us to publish in our monthly newsletters!
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Social Accountability International (SAI) is an international non-governmental organization that
promotes workers rights through multi stakeholder collaboration including
companies, trade unions and NGOs. It assists partners in the development and
use of practical tools, particularly the SA8000 standard, for safe and decent
workplace conditions.
SAI and the SA8000 standard focus on the human elements of
the workplace and the supply chain. SA8000 is the standard that considers the
importance of each job and strives to recognize the equal dignity of each
person involved in the supply chain - from the worker to the retailer to
the consumer. Today SA8000 certification covers over 1830 facilities in 68
countries, across 67 industries, and over one million employees.
SAI is one of the world's leading social compliance
training organizations, having provided training to over 15,000 people. SAI
courses integrate compliance with management systems issues.
SAI is headquartered in the United States with representations in Brazil, China, India, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Spain, and Vietnam.
SAI
15 West 44th Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(212) 684-1414
Website: http://www.sa-intl.org
For newsletter inquiries contact:
Joleen Ong
jong@sa-intl.org |
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