SA 8000

SA 8000 certification is an effective way of giving visibility to sustainability performance, with particular reference to ethics and corporate social responsibility, to ensure:

• improved corporate reputation at international level regarding respect for ethical and social principles
• increased competitiveness of organisations, providing a guarantee of the ethics of their production chain and of their production cycle.
• visibility towards consumers, guiding their choices also on the basis of respect for ethical principles
• reduction of internal conflicts and consequent improvement of the company’s internal climate
• easier access to public grants, more competitiveness in tenders.

Legal Framework

SA (Social Accountability) 8000 has been issued by the US body SAI (Social Accountability International) and is internationally applicable in any product sector.
The rule contains requirements for the “socially responsible” behaviour of an organisation in various areas: from child labour to health and safety prevention for workers; from freedom of association and bargaining to discrimination; disciplinary procedures, working hours and remuneration.

Focus on SA 8000:2014

The new edition of the Standard, called SA 8000 2014, provides companies with a transition period between 1 April 2016 and 30 June 2017.
Among the main changes introduced is the tool called Social Fingerprint: a self-assessment questionnaire that each organisation will have to complete before auditing to measure the level of implementation of the social responsibility management system.

Why RINA?

RINA is accredited by SAAS (Social Accountability Accreditation Services) for SA 8000 certification
Our expertise in SA8000 audits is also complemented by the experience gained in the areas of SMETA codes of conduct and audits.