What Are the SA 8000 Requirements?

What are the SA 8000 requirements?

The SA 8000 requirements set out the conditions businesses have to meet on social responsibility.

Child labour

Children under the age of 15 cannot be employed. For children above that age who are still in education, the total time spent on work (including school, work, and commute) cannot exceed 10 hours per day.

Forced labour

The business cannot engage in forced labour, and cannot require workers to surrender identification documents or pay deposits.

Freedom of association and collective bargaining

Workers have the right to form and join unions and to bargain collectively.

Working hours

Workers cannot be scheduled for more than 48 hours per week, and (except for short-term exceptional circumstances) overtime cannot exceed 12 hours per week.

Wages

Wages have to be at least at the country's minimum-wage level and sufficient to meet the worker's basic needs.

Health and safety

The business has to provide a healthy work environment, take steps to prevent accidents and injuries, deliver health and safety training, and provide clean sanitary facilities and drinkable water.

Discrimination and disciplinary practices

Workers cannot be treated differently on grounds of ethnicity, gender, or similar factors, and workers cannot be subjected to physical or psychological pressure (including verbal abuse and physical punishment).