8000
SA 8000:2014 · Social accountability

SA 8000Social accountability

The international standard for decent working conditions — child labour, forced labour, health and safety, freedom of association, discrimination, working hours and remuneration.

SCHEME CARD · SAFETY & RESPONSIBILITY
SA 8000Social accountability · 2014
Who it's for
Apparel & textiles, manufacturing and more
Audit model
Stage 1 + Stage 2 + surveillance
Certificate validity
3 years
Typical timeline
8–12 weeks
Listed in public registerCombines with ISO 45001
3 yrscertificate validity, with annual surveillance audits
2audit stages — documentation review, then on-site assessment
8–12weeks from application to certificate, typical timeline
1business day to a fixed offer after your application
Why companies certify

Who needs SA 8000— and when

SA 8000 audits verify labour practices against ILO conventions and national law, and require a social performance team and management system. Brands use it to qualify suppliers.

INDUSTRIES WE CERTIFY TO SA 8000

Apparel & textilesManufacturingAgricultureElectronicsService providers to brands
Not sure whether SA 8000 fits? Our auditors run a short diagnostic review and suggest the scheme — or a combination of two or three — that answers your customers' requirements.
Inside the standard

What the audit examines

01Child & forced labour

Prohibited and monitored.

02Health & safety

Safe workplace requirements.

03Freedom of association

Right to organise respected.

04Working hours & pay

Legal limits and living wage.

05Management system

Social performance team, complaints, suppliers.

What the audit covers

Requirements,clause by clause

SA 8000 is audited against these requirement areas. Open each one to see what auditors look for in your company.

Clause 4Context of the organisation+
Interested parties, internal and external issues, and how the scope of the system is defined.
Clause 5Leadership+
Top management commitment, a policy that fits the business, roles and responsibilities.
Clause 6Planning+
Risks and opportunities identified and addressed; measurable objectives with plans to reach them.
Clause 7Support+
Resources, competence and awareness, communication, control of documented information.
Clause 8Operation+
How processes are planned, controlled and delivered day to day.
Clauses 9–10Evaluation & improvement+
Monitoring, internal audits, management review — and how nonconformities become corrective actions.
Benefits

What SA 8000certification gives you

  • Supplier qualification with international brands
  • Documented decent-work practices
  • Lower audit burden from customers
  • Better retention and reputation
  • Complements BSCI and Sedex audits
Integrated audit

Hold more than one standard? One audit.

SA 8000 shares its structure with ISO 45001. We audit them together — one team, one visit, one report.

−25%audit days on average
1lead auditor for all standards
The path to certificate

Five steps from application to SA 8000

Scroll the steps — the bar shows where you are in the process. Every step has a named coordinator and a fixed timeline.

STEP 1 / 5 · Application & offer
STEP 11 business day
Application & offer

You send a short application; a coordinator sizes the audit and sends a fixed offer.

→ Offer with audit plan
STEP 21–2 days
Stage 1 audit

Documentation review and readiness check — remote or on site. Gaps are listed, not penalised.

→ Readiness report
STEP 3By calculation
Stage 2 audit

On-site assessment of implementation and effectiveness with a team that knows your sector.

→ Audit report
STEP 45–10 days
Decision & certificate

Independent certification decision; the certificate is issued and entered into the public register.

→ SA 8000 certificate
STEP 5Annual
Surveillance & renewal

Annual surveillance keeps the certificate in force; re-certification in year three.

→ Certificate maintained
Readiness check

Are you readyfor Stage 1?

Tick what you already have. You do not need a perfect system to apply — you need a working one.

Your readiness
0%

Based on the items ticked on the left. Indicative — the Stage 1 audit gives the formal picture.

Apply for SA 8000 →
FAQ · SA 8000

Questions companiesask before certifying

Did not find yours? Call us — a coordinator answers within the same business day.

+38 (044) 332-30-76
How long is the certificate valid?+
Three years, maintained through annual surveillance audits and renewed by a re-certification audit in year three.
Can we combine it with other standards?+
Yes — integrated audits reduce total audit days and cost. Tell us which standards you hold and we size one combined audit.
How is the audit priced?+
Audit duration is calculated by international rules from headcount, sites and complexity, so quotations are comparable between certification bodies.
Related schemes

Often certifiedtogether

Get certifiedto SA 8000

Send an application — we define scope and audit duration, and issue a fixed offer within one business day.

  • Auditors with experience in your industry
  • Fixed price — no surprises after Stage 1
  • Certificate listed in the public register
By sending the form you agree to the processing of the data for preparing a quotation.