Social Fingerprint� Online Courses
- Getting Started in Your Company
-Building Your Internal Social Performance Team
SA8000� Online Auditor Training Courses
SA8000� Revision Course
April 2-6, New Delhi, India
April 15-19, Dubai, UAE
April 16-20, Dhaka, Bangladesh
April 23-27, Shanghai, China
May 14-18, Bucharest, Romania
April 9-11, Shanghai, China
April 11-13, Istanbul, Turkey
April 22-24, Dhaka, Bangladesh
April 23-25, Sao Paulo, Brazil
May 2-4, New Delhi, India
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Social Accountability International (SAI) is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization established to advance the human rights of workers by promoting decent work conditions, labor rights, and corporate social responsibility through voluntary standards and capacity building.
SAI is headquartered in the United States with field representation in Brazil, China, Costa Rica, India, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Philippines, Switzerland, and UAE.
SAI- Human Rights at Work
For newsletter inquiries contact:
SAI Communications Manager
Joleen Ong, jong@sa-intl.org |
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 The 58 Million 'Left-Behind' Children in China Reflections on the wider cultural issues associated with the migrant workforce that is powering China's super-competitive export sector
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Photos, from left: 1) SAI Lead Trainer Jane Liu (right), Senior Manager Matt Fischer-Daly (second from right) and WE Trainer Harrison Xu (left) with Zhang Zhiru, founder of the Shenzhen Migrant Rights Centre; 2) Transparency is of utmost importance at the Center, where records of donations and funding are publicly available; 3) "Little Brother Wants to Sleep" - photo by Sina Weibo user Mian Qu, which captures the plight of the 'left behind' children.
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On a recent field visit to China, the topic of the 58 million "left-behind" children was brought up by virtually everyone we met with: leaders of grassroots migrant worker centers, global brands and government officials. The children's parents are the men and women who have migrated to work in 'China Inc.' -the super-competitive export manufacturing industry that has surged in growth over the past 30 years. These men and women are the very migrant workers that have lifted China's economy to new heights, and their remittances sent home have lifted 49 million people out of poverty since 1990.
58 million is a huge number of children - equal to 2/3 of all children in the U.S.; thus the stress on society of separating a generation of families cannot be underestimated. In the best situations, the grandparents of left-behind children raise them.
Although these children are not a top media story in the West, many Chinese are taking action to support the next generation. In some cases, migrant workers-turned leaders have developed grassroots worker-support centers in the heart of migrant worker neighborhoods. In Shenzhen, the 30-year old city of 12 million residents, Zhang Zhiru runs a migrant workers center that assists workers maintenance of relationships with their children back home, among other critical services. Other labor activists are developing the 'workers' touchpad,' a notepad-style computer equipped with software to navigate the transportation, communications and legal labyrinths that workers face in attempts to travel to see and regularly maintain contact with their children. As a way of connecting with workers and as a potent bottom-of-the-pyramid concept, the "workerpad" has potential for massive success.
Importantly, governments at multiple levels have been taking action, especially because of the risks to social stability. In cities known as 'labor exporters,' progressive-minded leaders have introduced incentives to lure employers and workers back home. At the national level, Social Security Insurance (SSI) implementation may be the single most important government program to hold the social fabric together and transition the country to a more balanced export-domestic market economy.
The current SSI program builds on the social insurance program established by the Government of China in the 1950s. Revisions to the SSI law that came into force in July 2011 streamlined various regulations into one, and established "roaming," the ability to access benefits anywhere in the country, regardless of one's 'Hukou' (household registration system). Prior to that 2011 revision, a citizen who worked and contributed to SSI in one city (their local 'Hukou') could not access benefits in a second city; the revised SSI law established geographic transferability of SSI accounts.
SSI implementation needs to be part of any discussion of working conditions of factories such as Foxconn. To achieve implementation requires collective action, considering that its scope covers public pension, workers compensation insurance, health insurance, maternity/child-care, and unemployment insurance for all workers of 20% of the world's population. Such action is urgent to ensure that the current generation of 'left-behind' children have an adequate foundation to lead as the next generation of China's labor force.
Article written by SAI Senior Manager, Matt Fischer-Daly. For more information, contact SAI Communications Manager Joleen Ong (JOng@sa-intl.org). |
The Role of Retailers in Social Accountability Programs Video interview with SAI - how retailers can ensure safe, fair and ethical workplaces throughout their supply chains
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[VIDEO] Interview with SAI President Alice Tepper Marlin and Executive Director Eileen Kaufman via PLMA Live
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In this PLMA Live! interview with SAI President Alice Tepper Marlin and Executive Director Eileen Kaufman, host Tim Simmons asked how and why retailers should participate in social accountability programs, and what's ahead in the field of CSR. PLMA (Private Label Manufacturers Association) is a SAI Corporate Program member at the Supporting level. Below are two excerpts:
How retailers can play an important role in social accountability programs? "A lot of the learning and systems here are on the buy side, not only on the sell side. So [if] you're concerned about excessive work hours...the solution to some extent relies on the direct employer, but a lot of that solution rests with the customer -- how they can design systems that will minimize last minute design and volume changes, that will share market forecast information with the producers. That's where [SAI] works with the big brands and the retailers in order to improve their supply chain management. And it goes all the way back- not only changing the way the merchandisers and buyers are placing their orders, to be sure that they are placing orders that fit the capacity of their suppliers to fulfill- but it goes all the way back to design-- design for decent work."
It's clear that social accountability has changed a lot since SAI first started, what's ahead?
I think the biggest change...is the growth of demand and consumer economy in the developing world. When we began, these [CSR] concerns and systems were found in Europe and the U.S., and then the demand was made for the producers...but there was no demand in the developing world. It's not so much that the culture was different, it's that they didn't have a large consumer market, they didn't have that many...brands to choose from. There's a [theory] - 'Maslow's Hierarchies of Needs'...now we see it particularly in the BRIC countries -there's a huge growth in the middle class, and as those consumers have the kind of choices that Europe and the U.S. have had for many more years, the consumers are at least as concerned about the social responsibility issues as we are."
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Operationalizing the 'Protect, Respect & Remedy' Guiding PrinciplesSAI & ICCO partner to integrate the 'Ruggie' framework into a handbook & toolkit for businesses
The SAI/ICCO handbook and training program will assist in the transformation from principles to practice. It will help companies address questions concerning interpretation, scope, and practical integration of their responsibility to respect human rights. The handbook introduces a six-step approach on respecting human rights in international supply chains:
- Embedding human rights via a policy commitment
- Assessing human rights impact
- Integrating human rights in policies, procedures and responsibilities
- Tracking human rights implementation
- Communicating human rights impact
- Remediating negative human rights impact
For each step, the implications, rationale and content will be described, with specific cases and practical formats for business to use. Additionally, the handbook intends to provide answers to frequently asked questions, including: - I realize that I can be held responsible for the human right violations of my suppliers, but to what extent, and how can I meet my responsibilities?
- I know who my 1st tier suppliers are, but not my 2nd and 3rd tier suppliers - am I responsible for possible human rights violations of those suppliers as well?
- Even if I am responsible what I can do? I hardly have the influence or leverage with my suppliers.
- What human rights do I have to consider when I address my supply chain�? Are some more important than others?
- What instruments are available to make this work?
- I already manage my supply chain via our companies CSR program. Do we meet Ruggie�s requirements already?
The handbook is expected to be released mid-2012. It will provide the basis for training of businesses on how to respect human rights in their supply chains. The first �in-class training� is planned at the end of September 2012 in the Netherlands, followed by India and Brazil; more countries are expected to be scheduled thereafter. Additional training will be delivered via SAI's Social Fingerprint� Online Training Center. For more information, contact SAI Communications Manager Joleen Ong (JOng@sa-intl.org)
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'Gender Equality for Sustainable Business' SAI & UN Women's Gender Equity Seal (GES) highlighted for International Women's Day
 "Amidst all the challenges and opportunities in our world today, one fact is unassailable: countries and companies with higher gender equality enjoy higher levels of growth and performance" - Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women
The topic of gender equality is timely and important, as SAI and UN Women are in the process of developing the GES, a new certification standard. SAI highlighted the GES at one of the five major sessions titled "Demystifying the Metrics: Overcoming Obstacles to Increase Transparency." SAI explained the potential of GES for measuring the degree of gender equality and GES' place as part of a "belt of tools" that could be used by a company.
The GES complements other initiatives, such as the WEPs Reporting Guidance (modeled on the GRI framework), which was also launched at the event. The GES also supports the WEPs by establishing performance requirements that enable tracking the degree of inclusion of women in a company's supply chain. It is designed to be verified as part of a company's existing social standards audit, and includes a management system requirement that will help companies to develop and implement systems to improve gender equity.
The event was hosted by the UN Development Fund for Women and the UN Global Compact. View the webcast from this event @bit.ly/GKPzcB. For inquiries, please contact SAI Research Associate Caroline Lewis (CLewis@sa-intl.org). |
RJC & SAI Launch Supplier Training in India  Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC)-SAI Training in India
Date: April 25, 2012 Location: Mumbai, India Description: Learn how to take a management systems approach for suppliers to learn how to improve to meet the RJC Code of Practices 
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Training Spotlight: Mexico City
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Participants in the SA8000� Basic Auditor Training in Mexico City, January 30- Feb 3, 2012
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SAI Lead Trainer Yolanda Brenes (front row, red scarf) led this 5-day course in Mexico City, which included a mix of participants from Certification Bodies and NGOs, and independent consultants from Mexico and El Salvador. Certification Bodies that participated included: LSQA, SGS, TUV and Intertek, and participating NGOs included Cemefi and Save the Children.
We congratulate all participants on successfully passing the course!
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Enroll in Global SA8000� Auditor Training Courses
International Locations & Online Courses Available | | Participants at the Basic SA8000� Auditor Training in Fairfield, NJ, U.S., February 2012. |
Upcoming: SA8000� Basic Auditor Training Location: Bucharest, Romania Date: May 9-11 SA8000� Advanced Auditor Training Location: Istanbul, Turkey Date: April 11-13
SAI training courses are designed to encourage proficiency in social compliance issues and emphasize the implementation of management systems. Learn about a management-system approach to social compliance auditing and supply chain management.
These courses are required for all SA8000� and BSCI auditors, and are also valuable to internal auditors, buyers, managers and workers for auditing to any labor code or standard. The courses are open to all.
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Update: Cotton made in Africa Initiative
SAI is Cotton made in Africa's US-based representative. Below is news from CmiA:
 CmiA Fashion Contest Unites Sustainability & Fashion: "Green is the new black" according to influential fashion critic Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune. From February to July 2012, the foundation will work with textile and advertising companies, and renowned fashion design schools to organize the "Cotton made in Africa Fashion Contest 2012". We will report on the winners in the Fall, watch this space!
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New Statistics: SA8000� Around the World
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Number of workers, by country
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1,676,716 2,919 |
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Highlights & Announcements
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Participants from the SA8000 Advanced Auditor Training Course in Bangalore, March 19-21, 2012
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"Consumers and the Supply Chain" SAI President Alice Tepper Marlin was included in this article by Mother Nature Network about how companies around the world are evaluating their supply chains. Read it @bit.ly/Hd9jF9
"New Label Addresses Ethics in Kosher Food" The ISEAL Alliance published an article about about the new Magen Tzedek Certification program that SAI and SAAS developed with the Magen Tzedek Commission. Read it @bit.ly/GUn50E
"Child Labor in Agriculture: Some New Developments to an Ancient Problem"SAI Advisory Board Member Dorianne Beyer, Esq., published this article in the Journal of Agromedicine, Vol. 12, Issue 2, view it @bit.ly/H6More
"Women in the Workplace: Gender-Specific Challenges in the Corporate World" Olinda Hassan, former SAI Intern from Wellesley College (Summer 2009) and 2010-11 Fulbright Fellow in Dhaka, Bangladesh, published this article in the March Forum magazine supplement of the Daily Star in Bangladesh. Read it @bit.ly/GR4PRJ
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