SAI

Advancing Human Rights at Work

SA8000 Introduction & Basic Auditor Training

This course provides an overall introduction to social auditing and specifically auditing in accordance with the SA8000:2014 Standard. The five-day course is a requirement for all SA8000 Team Auditors and has been attended by thousands of professionals around the world.

Target Participants

This course is designed for participants hoping to become SA8000 Team Auditors as well as other stakeholders, who wish to conduct social compliance audits, advance labor rights, or apply a management system approach in their supply chain.

Curriculum

SA8000® Standard

  • SA8000 Standard and its nine elements
  • Effective auditing techniques related to each social compliance element under SA8000
  • A review of SA8000 documents and tools, including an introduction to Social Fingerprint®
  • Introduction to management systems
  • Methods and techniques for conducting and generating findings from an SA8000 audit

Social auditing and compliance

  • Introduction to core concepts of social compliance in the supply chain
  • Practical knowledge of social auditing and social performance
  • Common challenges and solutions in social compliance
  • Methods and techniques for gathering, evaluating and triangulating satisfactory objective evidence to determine the conformance of a system
  • Generating accurate, appropriate, and comprehensive audit findings and conclusions

The training course involves in-depth case studies, virtual factory tours and highly interactive group exercises that allow for hands-on learning and practical application of methods and tools. The course concludes with a comprehensive exam, and students who successfully pass are awarded the SA8000 Basic Auditor Training Course Completion Certificate.

Course Prerequisite

There is no formal prerequisite for this course at this time. However, SAI recommends that students attending the course should understand the fundamental auditing principles and protocols at a basic level. It is recommended that all participants familiarize themselves with ISO/IEC 19011 prior to attending the course.

Complimentary Seats

SAI offers one complimentary seat for a full-time representative of a verified NGO or trade union for each SA8000 Introduction and Basic Auditor Training Course. Please contact SAI at [email protected] (subject field: NGO/Union Seat) to receive an application form.

External Course Providers

In addition to SAI, several approved external course providers also offer this training.

Important Information Regarding COVID-19

SAI has suspended all in-person training through April 30. After that date, we will make decisions on a case-by-case basis. If you are registered for a training, we will contact you directly with any changes.

Click here for more information on our COVID-19 response.

Upcoming Trainings

We are offering limited sessions of this course online as we seek to continue providing professional development opportunities safely during this time.

Please contact [email protected] for details on upcoming remote training courses.

SA8000 Basic — Los Angeles, United States

July 27–31 | English | $2100 (USD)

SA8000 Basic — Shanghai, China

September 7–11 | Chinese | $1600 (USD)

See Full Training Calendar

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Feedback for SA8000 Basic

Professionals across industries, roles, and around the world have benefited from this training.

“In my opinion, the best basic course for social compliance.”

Gustavo Meyer Suarez

IIC-Intersport International
Manager, Sustainability and Compliance
“One of the best social compliance auditor courses around.”

Cesar Pacheco

Bureau Veritas
Auditor
“I would strongly recommend this course to anyone whose work is related to the social auditing field, is passionate about their work, and wants to excel and have better understanding of social accountability.”

Ata Rehman

USB
“It is as important to understand how a standard is audited as it is to understand what the standard actually says. There are always many gray areas. Learning the strategies SA8000-trained auditors use to handle these many gray areas was very insightful.”

Trini Gardner

Fair Trade USA
Standards Manager
“I have more than 9 years of experience in auditing. The SA8000 Basic Auditor course enhanced my ability and confidence to conduct social audits.”

Ejaz Uddin

Synergies Sourcing Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.
CSR & Compliance Officer
“I will definitely suggest this course to my colleagues. This course gives knowledge and power to those who choose social compliance as their profession.”

Sebastian George

Asia Excel Trading Ltd.
HR & Social Compliance Manager
“After 17 years of auditing, this course has been a very enriching personal and professional experience.”

José Manuel López Carretero

–
Auditor

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