Improving Labor Standards through SA 8000 Certification: The Case of a Public Sector Enterprise

Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) has been developed by Social Accountability International (SAI), known until recently as the Council on Economic Priorities Accreditation Agency. SA8000 is based on the principles of international human rights norms as described in International Labor Organisation conventions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with an objective to guarantee workers’ rights so that everyone involved wins: companies, workers, trade unions and government. It measures the performance of companies in eight key areas: child labor, forced labor, health and safety, free association and collective bargaining, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours and compensation. This study specifically focuses on how the Public Sector Enterprise has managed to improve its labor standards through SA 8000 certification.