SA 8000 and its relationship with CSR

Part 3:
This article of mine is in response to the question asked by one of my blog viewer regading SA 8000 and its relationship with CSR.
Yes, they are related but to understand the difference, let me discuss SA 8000 first.

SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY 8000 is a comprehensive, global, verifiable standard for auditing and certifying compliance with social responsibility. The latest revision has been published in 2008. It is applicable to both small and large companies that want to demonstrate to customers and other stakeholders that they care. The heart of the standard is the belief that all workplaces should be managed in such a manner that basic human rights are supported and that management is prepared to accept accountability for this.

The intent of SA8000 is to provide a standard based on international human rights norms and national labour laws that will protect and empower all personnel within a company’s scope of control and influence, who produce products or provide services for that company, including personnel employed by the company itself, as well as by its suppliers/subcontractors, sub-suppliers, and home workers.

SA8000 is verifiable through an evidenced-based process. Its requirements apply universally, regardless of a company’s size, geographic location, or industry sector. Complying with the requirements for social accountability of this standard will enable a company to:
a) Develop, maintain, and enforce policies and procedures in order to manage those issues which it can control or influence
b) Credibly demonstrate to interested parties that existing company policies, procedures, and practices conform to the requirements of this standard.

An international perspective:
The standard was initiated by Social Accountability International (SAI). SAI is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the development, implementation, and oversight of voluntary verifiable social accountability standards.

The standard was developed and field-tested by the non-profit Council on Economic Priorities (CEP), and assisted by an international Advisory Board including representatives of prominent corporations, human rights organisations, certification professionals, academics, and labour.

Incorporating international labour rights:
The standard is based on a number of existing international human rights standards including the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. SA 8000 provides transparent, measurable, verifiable standards for certifying the performance of companies in nine essential areas:
1. Child Labour
2. Forced and Compulsory Labour
3. Health and Safety
4. Freedom of Association & Right to Collective Bargaining
5. Discrimination
6. Disciplinary Practices
7. Working Hours
8. Remuneration
9. Management Systems

An organisation certified to SA 8000 requirements proves that their Social Accountability System has been measured against a best practice standard and found compliant.
Issued by a third party certification body, the certificate lets customers know they can trust that you have implemented the necessary internal processes to ensure basic human rights for your employees.

SA 8000 and CSR:
Compliance to SA 8000 standard will ensure part compliance to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) requirements. SA 8000 primarily helps in managing and improving quality of life of the employees and their families who are part of a bigger society.
It will be worth mentioning here that SA 8000 certification does not really mean CSR compliance rather it initiates a journey towards CSR.