The SA 8000 standard provides voluntary guidelines for ensuring ethical working conditions related to issues like child labor, minimum wage, working hours, health and safety, discrimination, and freedom of association. It was established in 1997 to provide a common set of global social accountability standards. Certification requires companies to demonstrate compliance with nine principles through documentation and management systems. Obtaining SA 8000 certification helps textile companies assure customers in Western markets that their products are sourced from manufacturers with socially responsible practices.

1. SOCIAL ACCOUNTIBILITY STANDARDS R.B.CHAVAN Department of Textile Technology Indian Institute of Technology Hauz-Khas, New Delhi E-mail: rbchavan@hotmail.com

2. What is SA 8000 Social accountability SA 8000 is the international standard for management systems, primarily dealing with the working conditions related to the quality of life of working persons This standard is based on: Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (b) UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and (c) The Eleven Conventions of the international Labour Organisation (ILO)

3. This standard was evolved by the Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency (CEPAA), New York, USA in October 1997, in consultation with organisations like Amnesty International, International Textile Workers Union and various other leading international chains dealing with textiles, leather, toys and other goods. This Council is now called the Social Accountability international (SAI) The Standard is purely a voluntary one and is not part of any mandatory international trade agreements

4. Principles of SA 8000 1.No child labour. (2) No forced labour. (3) Health and safety of workmen to be ensured. (4) Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining to be respected. (5) No discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, caste, etc. (6) No unjust disciplinary practices. (7) Working hours not more than 8 hrs (8) FaIr compensation (wages). (9) Management Systems to be in place to monitor the implementation of the standard. Thus, any company which aspires to obtain the SA 8000 certificatIon will have to ensure total compliance with the above mentioned nine principles and develop verifiable documentation and systems.

5. Objectives of SA 8000 Demonstrate that business operations are not based on “Sweat shop” conditions. Improve working conditions globally by providing universal standards in all sectors. Provide a common platform for companies that want to work in collaboration with agencies that protect the interest of labour. Ensure ethical sourcing of goods and services. Eliminate unfair and inhuman labour practices .

6. Why SA 8000 Western consumers have been increasingly demanding that consumer products should conform to the highest quality and eco-standards, sourced from socially responsible manufacturers. This is termed as ‘ethical sourcing’. There is a very strong opinion in the West, particularly in the EU and the USA, that, in developing countries like India, goods are manufactured in an exploitative environment, (by perhaps engaging child labour, or by not paying minimum wages, or even, by not ensuring adequate safety and health measures to the workers).

7. Therefore, foreign buyers and retailers are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate that the textiles being sourced by them are not manufactured in an exploitative working environment. They, in turn, insist that their suppliers implement an internationally acceptable and verifiable system, by which the commitment of the company to social and labour welfare at the work place can be clearly demonstrated/proved. I ndian textile exporters, particularly garments exporters are increasingly under pressure from their western buyers to get their units certified under the SA 8000. Therefore, ‘ethical sourcing’ of goods has become one of the most important corporate strategies in today’s business environment

9. METHODS FOR ACQUIRING THE SA 8000 CERTIFICATION • Aspiring companies can train selected employees and can initiate an implementation process. Alternatively, the company can appoint a competent consultancy agency e.g Textiles Committee. • Survey of the existing system against the SA-8000 standard and Gap Analysis. • Identifying the processes in critical areas. • Defining the Social Accountability policy, objectives and plan of action .

10. SUMMARY The Social Accountability (SA) 8000 standard, which is an independent and voluntary standard, (modelled on the lines of (ISO 9000/ISO 14000), stipulates that manufacturing companies should follow the concerned national/local laws and the norms prescribed under the ILO resolutions, with respect to issues like child labour, forced labour, minimum wages, workers’ safety and health, etc.

11. Thus, any textile manufacturing company that obtains a certificate under SA 8000, can demonstrate that it manufactures textiles in the most socially acceptable, ethical and legal environment. This will enhance its image and sharpen its competitive edge, enlarging its market share and unit value realization. Improve relationship between management and workforce Create a healthy working environment Higher productivity