A workplace standard used at more than 800 factories worldwide is to be revised this summer.
Social Accountability International, which devised the SA8000 ethical
standard in 1997, is seeking opinions on how it can be improved, with a
view to producing a new version in late 2007. The US-based body wants
initial comments before 31 July and will release a draft by the end of
this year.
SA8000 was last updated in 2001 and SAI says this second revision had
been expected. More than half a million people now work in 881
SA8000-certified facilities in 57 industries across 50 countries.
The
supply chain standard covers areas such as child labour and forced
labour, health and safety, freedom of association, collective
bargaining and discrimination. Among its requirements is that a company
must not allow employees to work more than 48 hours a week and give at
least one day off in any seven-day period.
The names and addresses of
facilities certified to the SA8000 standard are published online.
