SA8000® Certification Costs

The cost of certification to the SA8000® Standard depends on the size, scope, and location of the organization, and varies depending on the number of days and auditors needed to conduct the audit at the organization’s site(s). The number of audit days is set out in SAAS Procedure 200.

The general costs are as follows:

• SA8000® Self-Assessment: US$300 (paid to SAI)
• Certification Cycle (audit days and other related costs): typically US$400–1,500 per day (paid to the certification body and variable based on location and market prices)

After completing an SA8000 Self-Assessment (see “Getting Started with SA8000“), the applicant organization may contact a SAAS-accredited certification body to receive a cost estimate for the certification cycle. This quote typically includes the initial certification of the organization’s site(s) and management system, as well as monitoring visits (surveillance audits) every six months for the three-year cycle. These costs are typically paid in installments throughout the certification cycle.

Some organizations may require pre-audit work, which is separate from the cost of certification. The cost for this work depends on the organization’s state of readiness to implement the SA8000 Standard requirements. These costs may be related to:

• Improvements required in order to comply with the Standard
• Preparing for the audit (e.g., administrative costs)
• Taking corrective actions to resolve non-conformities (if such have been identified)