What does SA8000 cover?
SA8000 addresses decent work and social accountability through a certifiable management system. The assessment should connect employment practices, worker experience and management response. Confirm the edition and any transition arrangements relevant to the assessment.
Who it is for
Organizations assessing working conditions and worker-related management practices.
Key areas to understand
Start with these areas. Identify which requirements apply to your activities and who is responsible for them.
- 1Identify risks to workers across relevant employment arrangements.
- 2Examine working conditions, treatment and worker voice.
- 3Provide effective grievance handling and improvement.
Evidence to prepare
This list is a starting point. Check the standard for all required documents. For each item, record who is responsible, the activity or site it relates to, and a recent example showing how it works.
- Workforce and employment arrangement records
- Pay and working-time samples
- Health and safety assessments
- Worker representation and grievance records
- Corrective actions and effectiveness evidence
Keep records that explain what was checked, which requirement was used and who checked it. Include any action taken when a requirement was not met. Link each record to the work it supports.
An internal audit example
Suggested checks from 4Auditee
Compare records for directly employed and agency workers performing similar work. Follow a concern from the point it was raised to the remedy and later review. Protect confidentiality and check whether workers can use the process without retaliation.
Choose a sample that suits your activities and risks. If you find a gap, record the requirement, the evidence and what was missing. Check more examples if the first results suggest a wider problem.
A common problem to check
A policy signed by management says little about accessibility for workers. Test whether the reporting and remedy process functions in practice.
Prepare for assessment
The assessment type for this guide is social accountability certification. Confirm the requirements, what will be assessed and how the assessment will work with the responsible body or customer. These steps help you prepare. You must also follow the scheme’s official rules.
- Define what is covered. List the products, services, activities and sites. Record the standard edition, additional scheme rules and customer requirements.
- Find what is missing. Compare the requirements with current work. Prioritise gaps by risk. Assign someone responsible and a completion date.
- Keep records of everyday work. Check a sample of actual records and speak with the people involved. Make sure they understand their responsibilities.
- Check the results. Complete internal reviews and audits. Check that corrective actions worked before closing problems.
From one site to many
Make it easy to find who is responsible at each site. Keep company policies separate from records of local work. Link each site’s records to its activities, risks and requirements so you can spot gaps at individual sites.
Sites that share a management system do not automatically qualify for one certificate or assessment. Confirm which sites can be included and how they will be checked with the assessment body.
About this guide and its sources
4Auditee wrote this guide using the public source below. The evidence list, audit example and preparation steps are our suggestions. Read the official standard and scheme rules for the full requirements. This guide does not include the standard’s full text or provide certification.
DNV: SA8000 reference information