In 2023, SAI is undertaking a full revision of our SA8000 Standard for Decent Work. The SA8000 Standard is the basis for all of SAI’s programs to advance human rights for workers around the world, from our flagship SA8000 Certification Program to our capacity building work with brands, companies and other organizations, to our systems-focused landscape projects. It is also used as a benchmark by many other standards and in company codes of conduct. 

The purpose of this revision is to ensure that the SA8000 Standard continues to serve as a leading benchmark for ethical workplaces at all levels of the value chain, reflecting evolving human rights risks and good practices.  

There will be many opportunities to participate and provide input to this process, including in-person and online stakeholder workshops around the world and an online public comment period. We will continue to update this page throughout the revision process and all opportunities to participate will be widely announced. Check back here for updates or sign up for our mailing list. 

We are committed to an inclusive and transparent Standard Revision process. At each stage of public review, we will proactively seek input from workers and their advocates, especially those with personal experience and insight on human rights abuses at work. If you would like to participate in some way, or to nominate a person or organization to participate, please reach out to [email protected]. 

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Get Involved

Key Country Standard Revision Workshops 

The first public feedback opportunities will be workshops in key countries for the SA8000 Standard and SAI programs. These are a crucial step for ensuring that the updated Standard reflects the goals and concerns of the wide variety of industries and geographies where we work and the many actors we work with.  

In these sessions, SAI will present our vision for the revised Standard, providing time for participants to discuss and share feedback from the perspective of their individual organization or constituency. Participants will also be able to share written feedback at the events and online afterwards. 

For participants, these workshops offer an opportunity to: 

• Help shape the future of social standards 
• Hear others’ priorities and concerns on key labor topics and share your perspective 
• Learn how evolutions in the overall landscape of work and social responsibility are shaping this Standard revision 
• Preview draft principles in the revised Standard
• For users of the SA8000 System and other SAI programs, directly contribute to shaping the future direction of these programs 

Who should attend? 

The SA8000 Standard for Decent Work is a leading benchmark for social standards around the world. As such, we encourage anyone with an interest in labor rights, social compliance, human rights due diligence, and similar topics to participate in workshops within their own country. This includes representatives from the private sector, government, unions, civil society, and academia. 

Key participant groups for these events include, but are not limited to: 

• SA8000-Certified Organizations, Certification Bodies, and Auditors 
• Businesses at all levels of the value chain 
• Social auditors and audit firms in different systems 
• Organizations that have participated in other SAI programs 
• Industry associations 
• Investors 
• Government representatives 
• Unions and worker representatives 
• Organizations focused on labor and development issues (NGOs, Non-profits, International agencies, Development banks, etc. ) 
• Academics with insights on labor issues and management systems 

We especially encourage participation by individuals and groups representing workers at high risk of exploitation or discrimination, such as women workers, migrant workers, workers with disabilities, informal workers, LGBTQIA+ workers, home-workers, domestic workers, young workers, older workers, and workers who have experienced forced labor, child labor, or other abusive conditions, among others. Any such organizations or individuals that have questions or concerns about participating, please contact [email protected].  

Who should not attend? 

Key country workshops are intended to provide a space for localized consideration of the Standard and proposed revisions. We do not recommend traveling from other countries for these workshops. There will be other opportunities to participate for those not located in a workshop location. 

Country-Specific Workshops

Location	Date/Time (local time)	Link to Register
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam	July 21, 2023  1:30-5:30pm	Register Now
Delhi, India	August 21, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Coimbatore, India	August 22, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Dhaka, Bangladesh	September 7, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Shenzhen, China	September 13, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Shanghai, China	September 15, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Naples, Italy	September 19, 2023 1:00-5:00pm	Register Now
Rome, Italy	September 20, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Athens, Greece	September 25, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Bucharest, Romania	September 25, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Sofia, Bulgaria	September 26, 2023 1:00-5:00pm	Register Now
Lisbon, Portugal	September 28, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
São Paulo, Brazil	October 3, 2023 9:00am-1:00pm	Register Now
Mexico City, Mexico	TBA	Register Now
Bogota, Colombia	TBA	Register Now

Notice

Any changes to the Standard will be implemented in 2024 and beyond, including updates to SA8000 training. As with previous revisions, SA8000 auditors will need to take a short revision training to maintain their training credential. This revision training will also be available to anyone who has taken an SA8000 Basic or Advanced training.

Because we cannot yet predict when the SA8000 Basic Training will be revised and revision training made available, we encourage anyone considering SA8000 training to proceed with the current version. Participants who complete the SA8000 Basic Training in 2023 or later will be able to take the revision training for free when it becomes available.