COVID-19 Information Page

Updated June 23, 2020

During this uncertain and difficult time, SAI’s utmost priority is the health and well-being of our staff, partners, workers, and communities around the world. The COVID-19 epidemic will have deep and far-reaching effects for business and workers, and poses immediate risks to our communities worldwide. SAI is taking all available precautions to reduce the risk of spreading the virus through our programs or activities. We are also issuing guidance notes that we hope will be useful for business and other stakeholders seeking to protect workers during this precarious time.

Many of SAI’s programs have been and will continue to be affected by this global emergency. We will share all new announcements with relevant audiences and post updates to this page.

COVID-19 Guidance for SA8000-Certified Organizations

Risk Assessment Guidance Document

SAI has released public guidance on managing labor and social performance risks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic effects. While much remains uncertain, SAI hopes this document will prove useful to SA8000-certified organizations and others in navigating that uncertainty, mitigating labor risks, and protecting vulnerable employees when resuming operations following this crisis.

Temporary Policy Exceptions to SA8000 Standard

To support business continuity for our certified companies and job stability for workers, SAI is allowing some temporary exceptions to the normal SA8000 Standard requirements during this period of crisis and recovery. The exceptions specifically address wage and working hour requirements, which have emerged as the most challenging for organizations to meet in the face of COVID-19 disruptions. The exceptions are to be used only by organizations facing extraordinary circumstances and are limited in scope.

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SAAS Instructions for Certification Bodies

Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) has released a temporary instruction regarding maintenance of SA8000 Applicant and Certified Clients in light of the global Coronavirus emergency.

The instructions temporarily override SAAS Procedure 200:2019 and outline actions to be taken by SAAS and SAAS-accredited CBs. The temporary instruction will remain in place until further notice from SAAS.

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SAI Training Announcements

SAI postponed all in-person training sessions through April 30, including all SA8000 training sessions held by approved external course providers. After April 30, we will decide whether to hold scheduled training sessions on a case-by-case basis. Check the Training Schedule to see upcoming training opportunities, including remote learning opportunities.