The SA8000® Standard was established by Social Accountability International in 1997 as a multi-stakeholder initiative to advance the rights of workers around the world. Over the years, the Standard has evolved into an overall framework that helps certified organizations demonstrate their dedication to the fair treatment of workers across industries and in any country.
SA8000 measures social performance in areas important to social accountability in workplaces, anchored by a management system that drives continual improvement in all areas of the Standard. It is appreciated by brands and industry leaders for its rigorous approach to ensuring the highest quality of social compliance in their supply chains without sacrificing business interests.
The Standard reflects labor provisions contained within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions. It also respects, complements, and supports national labor laws around the world, and currently helps secure ethical working conditions for over 2.8 million workers.
Regular revisions ensure the Standard’s continuing applicability in the face of new and emergent social and human rights issues. Organizational buyers, independent codes of conduct, and private sector initiatives have all recognized SA8000’s multi-sector applicability and responded to growing public interest by integrating SA8000 criteria into their compliance processes. Similarly, governments wishing to encourage and strengthen social performance in the workplace have created incentive programs specifically recognizing companies with an accredited SA8000 certification.
In addition to publishing SA8000 and its supporting documents, SAI offers a wide selection of resources to help organizations maintain and continually improve their social performance, including capacity building, stakeholder engagement, collaboration between buyers and suppliers, and tools to ensure continued improvement. SAI views independent accredited certification to the SA8000® Standard as a critical element contributing to the company’s broader objectives of improving global labor conditions.
The current version of the SA8000® Standard is SA8000:2026.
Elements of the SA8000® Standard for Decent Work
Decent Work Principles
- Protection of Children and Young Workers
- Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining
- Free and Fair Recruitment, Employment and Termination
- Decent Hours, Wages and Benefits
- Freedom from Discrimination
- Health and Safety
- Privacy
Management System Criteria
- Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration
- Worker Involvement and Integration
- Stakeholder Involvement and Integration
- Policy Commitment and Coherence
- Context, Impacts, and Risks
- Objectives, Planning and Resources
- Awareness and Implementation
- Integrity and Transparency
- Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms
- Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement
Get the SA8000:2026 Standard
The SA8000® Standard is the leading social certification standard for factories and organizations across the globe. Established by SAI in 1997 as a multi-stakeholder initiative, it has evolved into a holistic framework for decent work across industries and in any country. SA8000:2026 is the current version of the SA8000® Standard.
Visit the SA8000 Resource Center for additional SA8000:2026 resources.
*A previous version of the SA8000:2026 Standard was published with incorrect numbering in the Appendix. This version fixes that error.
