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January 2014
1. Brazil Worker Engagement: Impacts of an Innovative Program
2. Clearing Confusion with SA8000
3. SA8000:2014 Standard Public Consultation Open
4. "Putting the Pillars into Practice"
5. Partnership to Combat Bonded Labour
6. Promotions and New Hires at SAI
8. SA8000 Auditor Trainings Courses in China & India
9. Highlights & Announcements
Jobs & Internships 
Coming Events

 

Ethical Sourcing Forum
New York City

March 27-28 

 

SAI to Present on
Worker - Manager Collaboration to Achieve Rapid Results and Drive Sustainable Change
 

 

 

 

Pillars in Practice Program
 

 

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Top 3 News Stories 
 1. SAI Advisory Board Meeting Convenes in California

 
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  SA8000 Fire Safety Webinar  

Auditing for Fire Safety in the SA8000 & BSCI System
[Mandatory for SA8000/BSCI Auditors]
 

 SA8000 Basic Auditor Training

New Delhi, India
February 10-14

Bangkok, Thailand

March 3-7  
   

 SA8000 Advanced Auditor Training 

  Bangkok, Thailand
February 26-28
NYC, USA
 March 5-7
 

SA8000 Online Training 

SA8000 Online Revision Course
  
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Complimentary seats available for NGO & trade union representatives. For more information, email SAI Training Coordinator Stephanie Wilson at [email protected].

  

 
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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,  [email protected]
Brazil Worker Engagement: Impacts of an Innovative Program 
A Look at the Results of Waves 1-3 of the Social Fingerprint Rapid Results Program
Team Building in the Brazil Worker Engagement Program

 

The first waves of worker-manager teams in our Brazil Worker Engagement Program have completed their 100-day Social Fingerprint Rapid Results (SFRR) projects, and the results are inspiring. All of the teams have met or exceeded their goals, and their fellow workers are positive about the benefits of the projects.

 

Examples of results from the teams that have gone through the 100-day project in Brazil:

  • 70% reduction in exposure time to dangerous substances (in the manufacture of critical products
  • Elimination of 100% of injury-causing manual transport of trays in the packing and soldering areas
  • 100% of the workers understand how to file OHS complaints and 94% are satisfied with how the system works (previously 45% understood and 19% were satisfied) 
  • Reduction of time for complete evacuation of factory building in fire emergencies from 8 minutes to 3 minutes and increased emergency preparedness.
  • Zero absenteeism from injury during final month of the project, as result of ergonomic improvements in the sewing area.

Along with tangible results, the dynamic of the process has provided teams with points of pride. One team member summarized the feeling of many of the participants as follows:  "I am proud that the leadership accepts trying out the new ideas the workers had and they are more open to new ideas."

 

 "What is remarkable is the enthusiasm of the workers to use the management planning tools. After 3-4 weeks the workers feel proficient to use the tools just as the managers do, and it is inspiring for us to see the potential for workers to contribute in the process." - Alice Tepper Marlin, CEO Social Accountability International

 

The Worker Engagement program builds and coaches peer-selected teamoworkers and managers to jointly develop and implement 100-day projects to achieve ambitiouhealth and safety goals together. The program is a partnership between SAI and Rapid Results Institute (RRI). It builds on SAI's experience in workplace standards, management systems and worker-manager training programs, and RRI's experience in projecfacilitation and changmanagement. In addition, the program leverages Good World Solutions (GWS)'s LaborLink, a mobile technology to survey workers anmeasure the awareness and impacof the program in an efficient and anonymous manner. 

 


For more information about the Brazil Worker Engagement Program visit www.sa-intl.org/brazilworkerengagement, or contact Director - Training and Corporate Programs - Jane Hwang - [email protected].
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Clarifying Confusion with SA8000
Interview with SA8000 Auditor Sanjiv Singh to discuss Common Questions Associated with SA8000 Certification
 
SAI Lead Trainer and SAAS Auditor, Sanjiv Singh

SAI HQ: One category of question that often arises in discussion of the SA8000 standard relates to the proper interpretation of various elements of the standard as well as their intent. Can you discuss an example of a common misinterpretation by auditors that occurs today in the field?

 

Sanjiv Singh: Certainly. One of the most commonly misunderstood elements of the standard continues to be control of suppliers. One basic intention of SA8000 is to urge the certified company to use its influence in promoting SA8000   principles throughout its supply chain to encourage improvement of working conditions worldwide.  Nevertheless, the suppliers are not required to also be certified to SA8000. 

  

In order to be certified compliant to SA8000, the company must develop a plan to have suppliers that both meet and maintain the requirements over a period of time.  This process has several steps:  the certified company must first map its supply chain.  And then define the activities required to ensure their suppliers meet ethical practices within specified time frames, and identify the responsible persons at the suppliers.  A typical list of activities used today by certified organizations, to control suppliers could include one or more of the following:

  

  • A questionnaire for the supplier containing specific questions aimed at potentially problematic areas
  •  A self-assessment questionnaire for the supplier
  • Reviewing a  copy of the supplier's management system as well as an internal audit
  • Reviewing a copy of a code of conduct audit done by a second party
  • Itself conducting a direct audit of the supplier
  • Conducting a training session or informational seminar  with a supplier to foster awareness and facilitate partnering for attaining respective goals


The manner and degree to which the company can manage its supply chain using the methods cited above can be measured by the auditor in determining what, if anything, needs to be done by the company  during each audit visit to demonstrate due diligence in the application of this plan.

 

Clearly there are cases where companies, because of their significant financial impact or their close relationship with their suppliers, will be able to exert considerable influence in promoting compliance with the human rights principles employed by the standard. There are also cases, however, where companies either do not have a clear-cut supply chain (such as a cleaning company) or do not conduct a significant amount of business with those suppliers, thus diminishing their level of influence greatly. The degree to which a company can exert a reasonable degree of influence over its supply chain must be determined by the company and assessed by the auditor.  The SA8000 auditor who assesses the company needs to evaluate whether the company has met this requirement to the best of its ability. This evaluation is done in the periodic audit reports and, as needed, through the issuance of nonconformities or comments throughout the lifecycle of the SA8000 certification.

 

 

SAI HQ: Since suppliers of a certified company should also meet requirements of the standard, is it the responsibility of the respective certification body to spend a part of its assessment time in evaluating a key supplier to verify its compliance?

 

Sanjiv Singh: The answer to this question is simply no - the certification body does not have the authority to conduct such an inspection. In addition, the calculation of audit days [in SAAS Procedure 200] is based upon the number of employees of the client. It indicates the amount of time spent at or strictly focused on the client's premises and does not provide time spent at off-site locations of suppliers. It is up to the certified company to demonstrate to the audit team how its suppliers implement the necessary requirements.

 

  

SAI HQ: The current number of certified companies throughout the world is approximately 3,000 today; some of these are relatively new while others have dropped or lost certification over a period of time.   For the middle group, what are some of the prime reasons that clients have allowed their certificates to lapse?

 

Sanjiv Singh: While this is a very straightforward question the answer is somewhat complicated as there are many factors involved. Companies become certified for different reasons with different market factors influencing those decisions.  Those that choose to get certified in order to not only improve their company for market reasons but also to improve the working conditions for their workforce as the end goal truly meet the principal objective of SA8000 and are likely to maintain certification and continually improve. There are other companies which seek to get certified for other reasons - such companies may want to meet a requirement for a short-term goal such as submitting a public tender, to meet the requirements for a purchase order or simply to make themselves more attractive as a supplier in the global market. Among such companies, certification may only be maintained for as long as the specific impetus is in place.

 

Of course, there are additional reasons to drop certification. Cost, insufficient value extracted lack of acceptance among certain brands, and achievement of compliance maturity rendering SA8000 unnecessary are some of the other notable causes cited.  

 

But the long and short of it is that neither SAI nor the Certification Bodies question the intentions of applicants that pursue certification.  Certification Bodies simply apply the protocols that have been set forth in order to promote and manage a certification in the correct manner.  There are, however, some rules to preclude the certification of companies not making a good-faith effort to achieve certification in the proper manner. An example would be a "shell" company that does not have employees or staff to deliver their stated services within the scope of their certificate.  This sort of company generally has no intention of retaining certification long-term but   pursues certification solely to obtain a public tender while using contract labor for the majority of its operations.  Such situations are in the minority and do not represent a significant problem to the system, but have been addressed by SAAS.  

 

  
For more information about SA8000 frequently asked questions, visit www.sa-intl.org/SA8000FAQ or contact Senior manager of Research and Stakeholder Relations Alex Katz - [email protected].

SA8000:2014 Standard Public Consultation Open  
Interested Parties Continue to Submit Comments and Suggestions on the Draft SA8000:2014 

 

SAI continues to invite all interested parties to participate in the revision of the SA8000 standard. For 60-days, beginning December 18, 2013 and ending on February 16, 2014, a proposal for the 2014 version of SA8000 is open for public consultation. During this time SAI is hoping that many stakeholders will participate in the consultation process by writing their comments in a tool created using Survey Monkey. The more comments received the more confident SAI is in revising the standard in line with users' expectations. Here is the link to the Public Consultation platform and to the Standard revision page on the SAI website.

 

All comments will be transparently reported on the SAI website, and a paper will be posted after the consultation period that analyzes and discusses which of the comments were used to further revise the standard and which significant comments will be saved for the next revision.

 

So far, comments have been received from over 109 participants, representing 40 countries in North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Thus, the geographical representation of commenters meets our stakeholder participation goals, which call for equal participation among geographic stakeholder groups. Notably, the most participation has come from Italy, India and China, which are the three countries with the largest number of SA8000 certified facilities.

 

 

For more information about the SA8000 Standard, visit www.sa-intl.org/sa8000 or contact Sr. Manager of Stakeholder Relations & Research Alex Katz - [email protected].  

 "Putting the Pillars into Practice"
Professor Morton Winston Presents a Paper on SAI's Pillars in Practice Partnership at an International Conference on Implementing the UN Guiding Principles

On November 4-6 2013 The University of Sevilla hosted an international conference on the responsibility of transnational corporations with regard to human rights, focusing on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP): "The Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Spain."   The three-day conference, the first international meeting on this topic to take place in Spain, gathered international and national academics along with representatives from Spanish Government, corporations, and civil society. They discussed the UN framework on business and human rights as well as its implications for Spain's National Action Plan. Dr. Morton Winston, Professor of Philosophy at the College of New Jersey, former SAI Advisory Board member and current chairman of the Board of Directors of Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS), attended this meeting and presented his paper, "Putting the Pillars into Practice," in which he discussed SAI's Pillars in Practice partnership with the Danish Institute for Human Rights and four other organizations.   SAI recently caught up with Dr. Winston to discuss his experience at the conference, and the story behind why he supports SAI's approach to advancing human rights at work. 

 

 

SAI: When and why did you become so interested in the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility, and really develop expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights?

 

Mort Winston: I was originally involved in human rights work through Amnesty International, beginning in the late 70's. My involvement in the 80's focused in South Africa, working on AI's prisoner campaigns. But I was frustrated by the limitations of working with Amnesty. Two specific issues contributed to my frustration: 1) that Nelson Mandela was not regarded by Amnesty as a prisoner of conscience, and 2) Amnesty's refusal to take a position on economic sanctions or boycotts.

 

I worked in the 80's to increase my involvement in activism and began to develop the view that it was essential to include economic actors in discussions of human rights. In the 1990's I served on Amnesty's board and began to implement these ideas, organizing a conference on Business and Human Rights. I helped to establish AI's Business and Human Rights program, and I am still working with Amnesty, but I became frustrated with the limitations of AI's strategy which focuses too much on legal approaches, throwing its support behind the UN Norms for Transnational Corporations,  which I felt at the time were not viable.

 

I began to believe that the more fruitful approach to advancing human rights was through negotiation and dialogue with transnational corporations rather than legal accountability and naming and shaming. This is when I met Alice Tepper Marlin of SAI and realized that our philosophies were much better aligned than mine with Amnesty International.

 

 

SAI: Do you feel that at that point you supported only the idea of cooperative work to achieve advances in human rights or  is there  a place for other approaches?

 

Mort Winston: I continue to believe that naming and shaming and legal accountability have a role in advancing human rights, but am more interested in the SAI approach because it is attempting to make more fundamental changes in the corporate culture and makes more of a difference on the ground, in those "small places" Eleanor Roosevelt talked about.

 

And as expected, the former UN Norms proved unsuccessful. This led to the appointment of John Ruggie as the Special Representative on Issue of Human Rights. I followed his work and read all of his papers, and was excited by his approach. He really encapsulated a principled pragmatism in developing the UN Guiding Principles. He also did a very good job consulting with stakeholders, including the business community and governments. He really understood that you can't expect to achieve sustained improvements in human rights issues unless you combine private regulation with government regulation.

   

 

SAI: This brings us to your recent presentation on the work SAI has done with the UNGPs in Seville, Spain. Can you tell us a little about the feel of the conference, and why you were drawn to it? 

 

Mort Winston: My interest in the conference was based in a desire to find out what is going on in Europe in regard to the UN Guiding Principles, as the US has decided not to create a national action plan (NAP). I also believe that SAI's Pillars in Practice program presents a model that is particularly effective because it involves multiple stakeholders where the rubber meets the road. The training is really good, the handbook is really good, and SAI's multi-stakeholder consultative approach puts SAI ahead of the curve with encouraging implementation of the UNGPs. Pillars in Practice presents a practical, down to earth approach.  I was excited to be able to share that at the conference.

 

 

SAI: You mentioned that you were interested in the status of the UNGPs in Europe. What were your takeaways from the conference?

 

Mort Winston: I found it both encouraging and concerning. Encouraging because some countries like Denmark and the UK were very responsive to the UNGPs, and are already publishing NAPs. This is concrete action to implement the Guiding Principles on a national level and should be commended. But, there is corporate push-back to government regulation toward these principles, which is worrisome. That danger is really that the corporates will continue to be opposed to any host or home government regulations. 

 

I was also slightly concerned that there was very little government representation at the conference. It begins to raise the question of how deep the uptake will be of the UNGPs, but I remain at this time, cautiously optimistic that the UNGPs will get more traction. There is certainly a large amount of support from NGOs. Some, like Amnesty, have switched from previously held support of old UN Norms of legislative enforcement to supporting the Ruggie Principles.  

   

 

SAI: Are there any ways that you can see or on which you might have presented that SAI could improve its current approach?

 

Mort Winston: I think the one problem to grapple with is that engagement with government for SAI needs to be more robust. The Protect, Respect, Remedy framework represents three legs of a stool; if you don't have government-'Protect', then it's not stable, it won't stand.

 

 

SAI: I think that we are aligned with that thinking as increased government engagement is clearly defined in the 5 year strategic plan that SAI is building, and will implement this year. Finally I was hoping you could tell us a little about the conference itself, what really worked or didn't work to enable productive human rights discussions.

 

Mort Winston: What was problematic was that there were more papers and presenters than time. As such, it was really hard to go in depth or hear more depth from any one presenter. For the most part presentations had ten minute allotments of time. But in the breaks between panels there was a lot of opportunity for informal networking and the experience was very positive in that respect. 

 

 


'Like' the Pillars in Practice Program on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1dF8xMN.  For more information, contact SAI Sr. Manager of Research & Stakeholder Relations Alex Katz- [email protected].  

 Corporate Social Responsibility in Poland
An innovative project in Poland uses the SA8000 Standard to Promote Greater Understanding of Social Responsibility Among Employers and Employees

 

Recently Doug DeRuisseau, SAI Director of Field Services, was interviewed by Robert Sroka representing Crido Taxand [a consulting and advisory firm], about a Polish CSR initiative launched together with Katarzyna R�zicka from Employers of Poland.   Their discussion was designed to provide Harvard Business Review readers in Poland with basic knowledge about the SA8000 Standard and its overall mission in promoting workers' rights in the workplace. The interview focused on real world experiences that auditors face in factories around the world trying to assure workers' rights are protected. In addition, it produced an informative look at CSR in Poland and an insight into an innovative effort to get Polish businesses involved in CSR. This piece focuses on exploring that work and summarizes parts of Mr. DeRuisseau's interview.

 

According to Mr. Sroka, in Poland the democratization of both political and social life, a major consequence of the 1989 revolution, provided an impetus towards the acceptance of international regulations and norms concerning the protection of basic human rights. Over time, this has led to Poland's ratification of many international agreements dealing with human rights and, in particular, rights of the worker in the workplace.

 

Nevertheless, Mr. Sroka believes that CSR is still in its infancy in Poland, especially when compared to countries in Western Europe. Although there have been an increasing number of CSR initiatives being developed in the country in both the private and public sector, he feels they tend to be too general in nature and lacking in substance. The Polish government is aware of the need for improvements in this area and has been striving to support CSR initiatives by introducing laws intended to provide legislative support.

 

 

Mr. Sroka's exploration into SA8000 and the resulting interview with Mr. DeRuisseau was the launch of an innovative project called "New solutions in HR management - a key to increasing adaptability of Polish companies". This project was developed by Crido Taxand in partnership with ICAN Institute (publisher of Harvard Business Review Poland) and Employers of Poland (the oldest and biggest employers' organization. representing 7,500 companies). This collaboration aimed to encourage Polish businesses to become more engaged in the CSR movement and to look at the short and long term benefits to be gleaned from promoting a workplace conforming to SA8000 requirements.

 

The project aims to modify the current business approach to CSR, by increasing the knowledge and competencies of a select group of employees in the areas of ethical management in the workplace. An additional goal will be to develop and introduce to participating companies an IT management tool based on the SA8000 Standard Both employees and employers will be able to use this tool on-line at any time.

 

Additional goals are to increase general knowledge about 'good practices' in implementing SA8000 and its adaptation to Polish market conditions. The IT tool will consist of several important components:  as e-learning (educating employees about their rights and obligations under the SA8000 Standard and National law);  a knowledge data base containing information concerning the nine core elements of SA8000; a self-assessment tool for the company to use for raising self-awareness; an employee satisfaction survey;  and a whistleblowing system. Particular attention has been devoted to responsible supply chain management, a key element of SA8000 Standard. A special module will help companies monitor their suppliers and assess their level of conformance to the principles contained in SA8000.

 

The need to introduce the SA8000 Standard into the Polish market has increased markedly in recent years as global competition has focused more than ever on fair treatment of factory workers as well as the requisite issues of quality and price. SA8000 was an early entry in this field and has gained valuable experience in addressing the socially related problems that suppliers must overcome and best practices to be used for successful implementation and maintenance of a system capable of sustainability. To date only a few companies in Poland are certified against the SA8000 Standard although many of them are involved in international business relationships when importing and exporting their products or outsourcing production.

 

Crido Taxand, ICAN Institute, and Employers of Poland conducted a two-year qualitative and quantitative research of Polish companies concerning business ethics among managers. It found that ethical business standards, both national and international, are not very popular or well respected. Nearly 92% of Polish employees expect management to expend more energy on financials with little concern for business ethics and think that such behavior is driven in part by a lack of knowledge and awareness on the subject of worker's rights. The respondents claimed that the main reason that such actions are absent is the lack of proper knowledge and awareness of the implications of sound workplace ethics and respect for the worker.

  

Promoting ethical workplace management and implementation of the SA8000 Standard among Polish companies and their employees is a good step in modifying and improving the current business approach. 

 


View the full article published in the Polish Harvard Business Review at:  http://sa8000.pl/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Brief-etyka-D.pdf .  For more information, contact SAI Director of Field Services Doug DeRuisseau - [email protected].  

 Partnering to Combat Bonded Labor

SAI and SAAS Work with Local NGO in South India on Sumangali Scheme Investigation  

(From Left): Bonded laborers saved from mills 10/2013 and 11/2012

 

In order to understand the complex factors that contribute to  labor rights abuses within the garment industry - and develop a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach to addressing those factors - SAI and SAAS have worked with several other NGOs to map out concerns and areas of focus. By engaging workers, as well as stakeholders, SAAS and SAI worked to develop a targeted audit plan focused on forced labor

 

One of these engagements was the investigation of the "Sumangali Scheme." "Sumangali", a Tamil word, means an unmarried girl becoming a respectable woman by entering into marriage1. Under this scheme, young girls from poor families, often of the Dalit community, are persuaded by brokers to sign an employment contract. This 3-5 year labour contract promises an end large payment sum to use for a dowry, and in the interim, girls are provided with food and accommodation. In actuality, these young girls are often housed in dormitories on factory premises where they are subjected to exploitative practices such as excessive work hours and denial of promised pay. Often the young women are also deprived of free movement. 

 

SAAS engaged Vizhudugal, an NGO which works primarily with issues affecting the Dalit community and the eradication of bonded labour, to conduct an investigation at certain sites. The investigation was carried out unannounced and done mainly through off-site interviews near the chosen factories, someSA8000�certified, that employ girls in large numbers living in facility hostels. Investigators found that the Sumangali practice to be limited to certain spinning mills in areas which have not yet implemented social management systems like SA8000�. Garment factories that are SA8000� certified are conscious of the implications of such exploitative practices, and no longer operate schemes like Sumangali; the hostel facilities for their young women employees are well maintained. As a follow up, SAAS has informed the Certification Bodies (CBs) about the investigation results and also sought their cooperation in focusing on supplier control issues during their audits to ensure that their clients' suppliers and sub-suppliers are not resorting to Sumangali-like exploitative schemes.

 

The Vizhuthugal Organisation is a non-profit organization and a partner organization of the Dalit Foundation2. The organization works to eradicate bonded or forced labour in many different villages as well as in all taluks (districts) of Ciombatore, Tiruppur and Erode districts. According to Mr. Moorthy Duraiswami [a Vizhuthugal Organisation volunteer, former leader of the SA8000� program at the DNV certification body, and SAAS accreditation auditor] Vizhutugal has created 950 youth development forums, each with 25 members, within these taluks where 50% of the representatives are female. Mr. Duraiswami estimates the organization's forums have 23,000 total members and described the basic services and teachings they offer related to government welfare, guidance, education, sanitation, economic development, and steps against violence. The Vizhuthugal Organisation also conducts many events to youth how to tell if a proposed employment contract involves illegal stipulations for an indefinite period of time. According to the president of Vizhutugal and member of the Vigilance Committee to Eradicate Bonded Labour, M. Thangavel, the majority of bonded labourers rescued have been from brick kilns, mills, and industrial units3.

 

Recently, Vizhuthugal has been in the news due to its efforts in identifying and rescuing bonded labourers from various industries with support from government departments. In October 2013, Vizhuthugal assisted in rescuing 47 bonded labourers, most of them girls [some as young as 15], from a spinning mill near Punjai Puliampatti in Tamil Nadu and issued the workers with release certificates4. In May 2013, they released and provided release certificates to 12 bonded Dalit laborers from a brick kiln in Tamil Nadu and in November 2012, 18 bonded laborers, including women and children, were released by Vizhuthugal from a coconut oil mill in Tamil Nadu. 

 

 

 

1. Matthews, Adam. "Caste Off." Good (Good Worldwide). 31 May 2012.  Web. 10 Jan 2014.
2"Dalit Foundation." Dalit Foundation, About Us. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2014.

<http://www.dalitfoundation.org/>

3. "Cultural Programmes to Create Awareness on Bonded Labour."
 The Hindu.N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2014.

4. "Mill Owner to Be Booked under Bonded Labour Act, Says Officials." Indian Express 17 Oct. 2013: n. pag. Print.

5. "8 Bonded Labourers Rescued." The Hindu.N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2014.

 

For more information about SAI's work with Sumangali contact Director of Operations Michelle Bhattacharyya - [email protected].

 

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Congratulations to SAI's New Hires and Recent Promotions 

We welcome Alicia Mara to our permanent staff and congratulate Stephanie Wilson and Emily Crain on their  promotions  

  

Alicia Mara: We are very pleased to announce that we have hired former intern Alicia Mara as Program Assistant. In her new role, she will provide administrative support for the executive office, training assistance to the training department (working hand in hand with Stephanie Wilson and Emily Crain), and serve on program teams across the organization.

 

Ms. Mara  is a graduate of the University of Buffalo SUNY, where she earned  Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Studies and Music with a Minor in Mandarin Chinese. She has worked with other international organizations, including the International Rescue Committee, Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc., and Let them LOL - a well building nonprofit for Sierra Leone, Africa. She also has leadership experience as the former Vice President of the University at Buffalo's Amnesty International chapter.  

 

 

Stephanie Wilson: SAI is very pleased to announce the promotion of Stephanie Wilson to the position of Senior Program Manager as of January 2014. In her new role as Senior Program Manager, Ms. Wilson will manage multiple projects across the organization, coordinating work both internally and with external partners. As SAI is transitioning to an interdepartmental, project-team approach, her projects may come from a range of SAI programs - custom corporate projects, grant-funded projects, online trainings, research, etc. Given her current experience with managing 60+ courses a year, we expect that she will excel at managing multiple projects on time and within budget. 

 

Since joining SAI in 2011, Ms. Wilson has played a key role in the planning, operations and expansion of our public classroom trainings, first as Training Coordinator and then as Training Manager. She helped exceed our 2012 and 2013 participation goals for auditor training, and supported the growth of new Professional Development Series training such as our UN Guiding Principles courses. She significantly improved our training management system - enhancing our procedures for customer service, trainer coordination and curriculum review. She has also represented us well in conducting field work as part of our Responsible Apparel and Garment Sector (RAGS) program in India and our Social Fingerprint Rapid Results (SFRR) program in Brazil. Clients, colleagues and partners have frequently cited her professionalism and dedication to SAI's mission.

 

Ms. Wilson joined SAI with extensive experience from her prior position as Training Coordinator for a global IT training company and a medical services company. She has a long-standing interest in development and human rights and has done extensive volunteer work, most significantly in Australia and India. She is in the final stages of her Master's Degree in International & Community Development, from Deakin University in Australia.

 
Emily Crain: We are very pleased to announce the promotion of Emily Crain to the position of Training Coordinator. In her new role, Emily will manage the day-to-day planning and operations of our international classroom training program, specifically focusing on our 60+ auditor training courses conducted annually. Furthermore, Emily will assist with the improvement and expansion of SAI's service delivery - including curriculum development and course updates, improving our trainer development program and refining our training management system.   
 

Since joining SAI as a part-time Training Assistant in May 2013, Ms. Crain has played a key role in the coordination of our public classroom trainings - managing pre and post-course customer service, organizing logistics for course activities and updating policies and procedures of the training management system.

 

She is in the final stages of earning a Master's degree at NYU's Global Affairs program. Her current area of research is Gender in International Relations and Development. Prior to her studies at NYU, Ms. Crain earned her B.A.  in Peace and Conflict Resolution, with a minor in Sociology, at Chapman University. She has extensive field experience - she has led after-school classes on HIV/AIDS education and outreach in South Africa and workshops for juvenile youth and gangs in Nicaragua.   Ms. Crain has a long-standing interest in human rights and is excited to join SAI in furthering our mission to advance the human rights of workers.

  

Contact Alicia, Stephanie and Emily at SAI - [email protected],  [email protected] and [email protected].

SA8000 Auditor Trainings Courses in
India, Bulgaria & Bangladesh

Snapshots from the courses that took place in New Delhi (India), Sofia (Bulgaria) and Dhaka (Bangladesh)
SA8000 Basic Auditor Training course in New Delhi, India on November 18-22, 2013 with SAI Lead Trainer Badri Gulur [Photo credit: Royeda Siddique]
SA8000 Basic Auditor Training course in Sofia, Bulgaria on October 14-18, 2013 with SAI Lead Trainer Doug DeRuisseau [Photo credit: Doug DeRuisseau]
SA8000 Advanced Auditor Training course in Dhaka, Bangladesh on November 13-15, 2013 with SAI Lead Trainer Sanjiv Singh [Photo credit: Sanjiv Singh]
Learn more about SAI's SA8000 Basic & Advanced auditor training course on SAI's website. For more information about SAI's SA8000 Auditor Training courses, visit sa-intl.org/trainingschedule or contact Emily Crain - [email protected]

Highlights & Announcements

Roundtable for Business Leaders in the Gulf Cooperation Council organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Global Business Initiative on Human Rights On 17-18 November, SAI Lead Trainer and SAIs Authorized Representative in the Middle East moderated a session on Workplace Rights & Vulnerable Groups. The roundtable brought together the experience of GCC business, international business, global experts and GCC government officials to discuss the relevance, challenges and practices in relation to human rights and business for the GCC.

  

U.S. Department of State Workshop on Government Procurement and Human Rights  On January 15, SAI Senior Manager of Research and Stakeholder Relations Alex Katz participated in this workshop in Washington, DC. Representatives from government, business, academia, trade unions, and non-profits attended the event.