How to treat and solve sweatshop problems and discuss topics.

SA8000 is a restriction of social conscience on capital strength, a "stick" against sweatshops, a "protective umbrella" for workers, and a propeller for China enterprises to truly go global.

Mr. Xing Jian, Second Secretary of the US Embassy in China, said that SA8000 is not a trade barrier, because it is not a government act, but a folk certification. However, some enterprises in southern China failed to pass the SA8000 certification, which led to the failure of product export, and SA8000 was accused by some public opinion as a technical barrier. It is claimed that if the United States starts the SA8000 mechanism, it will cause incalculable losses to China's industries, especially the Pearl River Delta, where labor-intensive industries are highly concentrated. This is America.

However, this statement is not accurate Zhao Qiong, an associate researcher at the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, said that the promotion of SA8000 should not be exaggerated, but it is meaningful, but it must be separated from the US government, because certification bodies are private and independent and have nothing to do with the government. At present, Zhao Qiong, the main body of SA8000, is in Dongguan.

The first international ethical standard in the world

SA8000 is an international standard formulated by CEPAA (Social Responsibility Committee) in August 1997. SA8000 means "social responsibility standard", which is the English abbreviation of SocialAccoutability8000.

SA8000, like IS09000 quality management system and IS0 14000 environmental management system, is an international standard that can be audited by a third-party certification body. According to a gentleman from Beijing Zhonglian Enterprise Management Consulting Co., Ltd., although SA8000 is an American standard, it is widely recognized, just like going abroad requires TOEFL scores.

The uniqueness of this standard lies in that it is the first international ethical standard in the world. Its purpose is to ensure that the products supplied by suppliers meet the requirements of social responsibility standards and protect the basic rights and interests of human beings. It stipulates the responsibilities that enterprises must bear to society and stakeholders, and stipulates the minimum requirements for specific issues such as working environment, employee health and safety, employee training, wages and trade union rights. For example, the prohibition of child labor and the need to eliminate gender or racial discrimination. SA8000 has only one international unified certification body: SAI (International Organization for Social Responsibility).

Experts in the industry believe that SA8000 is another important international standard after IS09000 and IS0 14000, and it will be transformed into ISO standard sooner or later. Passing the SA8000 certification will become another necessary weapon for enterprises in the international market competition. Miss Zhang from Beijing Zhonglian Enterprise Management Consulting Co., Ltd. told Economic magazine that due to fierce market competition, SA8000 has been recognized by the society. If you don't do this certification, people will discriminate against you. After China's entry into WTO, China enterprises can't compete with multinational companies without SA8000 certification.

Is it "stick" or "umbrella"

Two years ago, a Hong Kong newspaper reported that a toy factory in Shenzhen used 400 children to pack toys, which caused a global sensation.

American customers immediately commissioned an investigation team to investigate. Although no child workers were found, they confirmed that there were serious problems of overtime and low wages in the factory, and provided false information on working hours and wages in many factory inspections. As a result, the supplier qualification of the factory and its affiliated enterprises was cancelled, and other customers canceled their orders one after another. Finally, the group company with four factories and nearly 8000 workers was forced to close down.

It is reported that the German Importers Association has formulated the Code of Social Conduct, which stipulates that German importers should be authorized by SA8000 Association to examine the social behavior of their suppliers (foreign exporters). French and Dutch importers' associations may adopt this specification. As the three countries are the main textile and clothing import markets in the EU, their import share accounts for more than 50% of the whole EU, which will bring great pressure to China's export enterprises. The relevant trade organizations of French, Italian and other countries, which traditionally buy China's light industrial products, are also discussing an agreement, that is, China's textile, clothing, toys and footwear manufacturers should participate in SA8000 certification as the basis for their selection of suppliers.

SA8000 standard is the restriction of social conscience on capital power. From the point of view of labor protection, SA8000 is the gospel for the broad masses of workers, and will largely prevent unreasonable wages, overwork, unsafe working environment, child labor, corporal punishment and other acts that infringe upon the rights and interests of workers.

At present, the products exported by China are mainly labor-intensive products. According to SA8000 standard, some enterprises will face severe challenges. A Hong Kong-funded enterprise with more than 3,000 employees in Shajing Town found that the monthly expenditure (mainly overtime and safety facilities) would increase by 3 million yuan, which the enterprise simply could not afford.

Does this mean that China's labor-intensive industries will not survive? In fact, if we carefully study the conditions of SA8000, we will find that many conditions are the same as the labor protection policies promulgated by the government. As long as we fully abide by the national laws and regulations, we can basically pass the SA8000 certification. In this respect, SA8000 standard is the "stick" of illegal enterprises and the "umbrella" of workers.

Beat the "sweatshop"

In recent years, "sweatshops" have been exposed in some economically developed areas of China. The living and working environment of workers in these factories is extremely bad, with no guarantee of health, life and human rights, extremely low wages, long working hours and high labor intensity.

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions conducted a survey of foreign-funded enterprises in Guangdong Province, and the statistical data obtained were worrying. The survey found that more than 1/4 employees could not get their wages on time, and nearly half of them were forced to work more than 8 hours a day. About 62% people work seven days a week, 1.5 people have been physically or mentally harassed, and more than half of the workers earn less than the minimum wage. A foreign businessman once pointed out, "China's economy is better than Vietnam's, but the treatment of workers in China is obviously lower than that in Vietnam."

Duncan Green, an international trade policy analyst, said after investigating the garment industry in China: "China has a good labor law, but it has not been implemented. Many workers don't know that they have the right to take a vacation, there are restrictions on overtime work, and they even know nothing about the labor contract. In many factories, working hours are extended indefinitely in dangerous working environment: toxic chemicals, fire hazards and industrial accidents are everywhere. "

Some people question that SA8000 is a requirement imposed on China by western countries and does not conform to China's national conditions. However, Zhong Dajun, an economic observer, told The Economist that the current labor cost in China is lower than that in Southeast Asia, about one seventh lower, and one fiftieth lower than that in western developed countries, which is already low enough. At present, many domestic enterprises have gone through the initial stage of entrepreneurship and have certain strength, which can completely implement SA8000 certification. Some people say that our enterprise can't do it.

Zhu Han of Tongbiao Standard Technical Service Co., Ltd. thinks that since SA8000 is to protect the rights of workers, the employer will not take the initiative to carry out this certification. However, at present, western labor organizations have strong requirements for the promotion of SA8000, and many enterprises also take the initiative to participate in certification in order to improve their image. For example, Avon, which produces cosmetics, requires its suppliers to pass the certification of SA8000.

According to a toy supplier, "buyers visit our factory without looking at the equipment or the hospitality, but they drill into the staff canteen, bathroom and dormitory, hoping to see the physical and mental safety, environmental protection and product safety of employees."

China Certification and Accreditation Administration has publicly stated that "SA8000 standard will definitely be implemented in China." Obviously, the government will never support enterprises to gain cost advantage by violating labor laws and regulations.

Upward power

SA8000 certification generally takes 1 year, and the certificate is valid for 3 years and reviewed every 6 months.

Zhao Qiong, an associate researcher at Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, believes that SA8000 means increasing costs for some small enterprises, but for people with lofty ideals, certification can not only reduce market resistance, but also assess enterprises every year. In the long run, enterprises will form an institutionalized thing and acquire advanced enterprise concepts.

It is understood that since 1995, about 8,000 enterprises in China have been required by foreign companies to pass SA8000 certification. With China's entry into WTO, especially large multinational companies have increased their investment and procurement in China, China enterprises are increasingly influenced by SA8000. At present, among the 259 enterprise organizations that have obtained SA8000 certification, there are 42 in China, second only to 45 in Italy.

For a high-quality local government with modern consciousness, SA8000 is also something worth popularizing.

On March 13, 2002, Shenzhen High-tech Industrial Park Property Management Co., Ltd. obtained SA8000 certification, and Shenzhen High-tech Zone Property Management Company became the first property management company in the world to pass the international certification of SA8000 system. This made Lucent decide to invest in Shenzhen High-tech Zone. Lenovo originally wanted to move out of the high-tech zone, but saw that the property management company in the zone had become a company certified by an international organization. Instead of moving, Lenovo increased its investment and took root in Shenzhen.

Some experts pointed out that SA8000 has positive significance for expanding domestic demand. In the United States, the CEO of Ford Motor Company found that the purchasing power of the market was too low, and in order to improve the car buying ability of society, he took the initiative to raise the wages of workers. If the treatment of workers is not guaranteed, it will fall into a vicious circle: low wages, insufficient procurement, competing to lower product prices, lower wages of workers and less purchasing power.

SAS000' s Requirements for Social Responsibility

1. Relevant core labor standards

(1) child labor. The company shall not use or support the use of child labor, and shall take necessary measures with other personnel or interest groups to ensure the education of children and adolescents who should receive local compulsory education, and shall not put them in unsafe or unhealthy working environment and conditions.

(2) forced labor. The company shall not use or support the use of forced labor, nor shall it require employees to pay a "deposit" or keep their identity documents at the beginning of employment.

(3) The company should respect the freedom of association and collective bargaining rights of all employees.

(4) discrimination. The company shall not discriminate against employees in employment, salary, training, promotion and retirement because of race, social class, nationality, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, trade union membership or political affiliation; The company cannot tolerate compulsive, abusive or exploitative sexual harassment, including posture, language and physical contact.

(5) disciplinary measures. The company shall not participate in or support corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion or verbal insults.

2. Working hours and wages

(1) Under no circumstances should the company always require employees to work more than 48 hours a week and take at least one day off every 7 days; Overtime shall not exceed 12 hours per week, and overtime shall not be required except for special circumstances and short-term business needs; And you should ensure that you can get extra allowance for overtime.

(2) The salary paid by the company to employees shall not be lower than the minimum standard of the law or industry, and must be sufficient to meet the basic needs of employees, and shall be paid in the form of cash or cheque for the convenience of employees; Wage deduction cannot be punitive; We should ensure that we don't use purely labor-related contractual arrangements or false apprenticeship system to escape the obligations to employees stipulated by relevant laws.

3. Safety and health sector

The company should have the knowledge to avoid various industries and specific hazards, provide employees with a safe and healthy working environment, take adequate measures to reduce the risk factors at work, and strive to prevent accidents or health injuries; Provide a safe and hygienic living environment for all employees, including clean bathroom, clean and safe dormitory, sanitary food storage equipment, etc.

4. Management system

Senior management should formulate open and transparent company policies according to this standard, which can be understood and implemented at all levels, and should be reviewed regularly; Designate a full-time senior management representative to be responsible for it, and let the non-management layer choose a representative to communicate with it; Establish and maintain appropriate procedures to prove that the selected suppliers and subcontractors meet the requirements of this standard.

[Print viewpoint] We think it is very meaningful to promote SA8000 in China. According to our understanding, this is another expression of corporate citizenship, but it is mandatory to some extent. The development of an enterprise can't be at the expense of depriving others, especially for China. Some enterprises can't understand this, thinking that foreigners intend to block themselves or raise them to the height of trade barriers. Actually, it is a misunderstanding. For any enterprise, if it requires long-term development, I'm afraid it can't sacrifice the welfare and health of its employees. In other words, providing necessary protection for workers is the cost that enterprises must pay. And this cost can also be regarded as the cost that enterprises need to pay for long-term development. Otherwise, it is certainly possible for enterprises to acquire certain wealth in a short time. However, it is doomed not to be a socially recognized enterprise. The same is true for business operators. A real entrepreneur will always consider the social space in which he lives and the efforts and costs of maintaining his good social environment. He knows that this should be paid, and the enterprise may get much more returns.

Attachment: Introduction of American SA8000 Standard

Social moral responsibility standard 8000 or SA8000 for short. Since the publication of 1997, it has attracted great attention from the public and aroused strong repercussions in American and European business circles. Experts believe that SA8000 is another important international standard after ISO 9000 and ISO 14000, and it will be transformed into ISO standard sooner or later. Passing the SA8000 certification will become another important weapon in the international market competition. A visionary organizer should take precautions and check whether the organization has fulfilled its recognized social responsibilities, violated social ethics and effectively protected the legitimate rights and interests of employees as soon as possible, so as to seize the opportunity and meet the new round of global challenges. This phenomenon shows that the expression of moral responsibility in agency annual reports and company brochures is increasing year by year. There is a growing demand for the combination of management and social responsibility. Although many organizations have no ethical behavior in their operations, they cannot be judged. Today, whether an organization's behavior conforms to social morality can be confirmed and declared according to whether it meets the requirements of SA8000.

SA8000 is the first social moral responsibility standard in the world, and it is a new standard to regulate organizational ethical behavior, which has been used as a criterion for third-party certification. SA8000 certification is to examine and evaluate whether an organization meets the basic standards for protecting human rights and interests according to the requirements of this standard, and it can be applied and implemented in all industrial and commercial fields around the world.

First, the purpose of formulating the SA8000 standard

The purpose of formulating SA8000 standard is to protect the basic rights and interests of human beings. The elements of SA8000 standard are derived from the relevant conventions and other relevant norms of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on the prohibition of forced labor and freedom of association, the Global Statement of Human Rights and Interests and the United Nations Convention on the Rights and Interests of the Child. Firstly, the standard gives the definition and core elements of independent audit of organizations and companies. Confirm the basic principles of audit and evaluation. For example, "child labor" is one of the core elements of this standard. The principle of this element is as follows: "The company cannot or supports the exploitative use of child labor, and the company should establish effective written policies and procedures to promote the education of underage children, who may receive education or drop out of school within the scope of local compulsory education laws. The standard stipulates specific safeguards, such as: underage child labor is not allowed during normal school hours; The working hours, school hours and the round-trip time between work and study activities of underage child laborers shall not exceed 8 hours per day; Child labor shall not be used in jobs that are harmful, unsafe and dangerous to children's health.

Second, the background of the birth of SA8000 standard

The idea of establishing SA8000 standard originated from a conversation between SGSYarsleyICS and the head of social audit department of international commercial institutions. Both sides agree that the field of social auditing is expanding globally, so it is necessary to audit social moral responsibility, and the business community should also establish the same values and moral standards as the public. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate standards or norms of social moral responsibility and carry out auditing and certification activities.

1in June, 1996, commercial organizations and related organizations in Europe and America held the first meeting to formulate norms. This meeting has aroused strong repercussions among business circles (including major commercial companies on both sides of the Atlantic) and non-governmental organizations. Commercial organizations and non-governmental organizations attach great importance to formulating new standards and norms. The meeting drafted a memorandum to set new standards. Economic Priority Areas Council (CEP), an Anglo-American NGO headquartered in London and new york. Actively participated in the first few meetings to formulate new standards, and was designated as an organization to maintain new standards. Subsequently, cepa established CEPAA, whose task is to track, supervise and review the progress of formulating new standards. Many companies in the United States and other countries have responded positively to the application of the new standards. The draft standard was produced at the first meeting held in new york.

III. Main contents of SA8000:

1) child labor;

2) forced labor;

3) Health and Safety (Health &; Safety);

4) Freedom to form trade unions and collective bargaining rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining rights);

5) discrimination;

6) discipline practice;

7) working hours;

8) compensation;

9) Management system.

Fourthly, how to carry out SA8000 audit?

-SA8000, as a criterion for third-party audit and certification, can be used to evaluate the compliance of an organization, so as to confirm that the organization meets the standard requirements. Similarly, the second party audit can be carried out according to SA8000 to audit the supply chain of the company's suppliers.

-Social responsibility audit methods vary from region to region. In addition to the traditional on-site evidence review, employees, managers and representatives in the community where the organization is located should also be investigated. Auditors should talk with the auditees and weigh the facts such as subjective statements and "occupational abuse". The objective evidence of audit is based on subjective statement and fact investigation.

-Some situations encountered by auditors at the scene reflect the characteristics of social responsibility in auditing. For example, in some factories, young people often replace the elder sister or brother of the first child, thus violating the relevant provisions of the legal working age.

—— The signing of the service industry should be comprehensively reviewed, and the factual statements and evidence should be compared with the signing contract to ensure that there is no coercion or oppression of workers. For example, the factory requires workers to live in the factory, but the accommodation conditions are bad, separated from their families, and the activity space is extremely crowded, which needs to be strengthened.

Verb (abbreviation for verb) Challenges faced by auditors

Auditors must be very rigorous and make extraordinary efforts to ensure that they can obtain reliable and effective information instead of distorted personal statements. Social responsibility audit should check and evaluate the evidence according to local norms and standards to ensure that the final audit evaluation is correct and effective. For example, in the Far East, an acceptable accommodation standard is that one room has 6 to 8 beds, the wooden boards on the metal frame are used as beds, and the bathroom facilities must be concealed. The basic requirements of isolation and cleanliness are basically the same as those of developed countries, but the standards of other conditions and requirements in this area are far from those in London and new york.

Sixth, correctly understand SA8000.

Moral propagandists have a heated discussion on the formulation of social responsibility standard SA8000. They believe that the introduction of this standard is the embodiment of managerialism. Some non-governmental organizations (such as non-governmental organizations) reiterated this view. They think that the formulation of SA8000 caters to the focus of organization and society. On the other hand, traditional auditors believe that this standard deviates from the core issues of society. In fact, it is only aimed at the superficial phenomenon of society. In fact, these two diametrically opposite views are biased, and these enthusiasts have not correctly understood and grasped the true connotation and formulation purpose of SA8000. The correct understanding is that managers should apply SA8000 as a comprehensive tool of moral management practice to the management system of organizations.

Vii. development prospect of SA8000

The establishment of moral responsibility standard has become the core of "the new era of moral transaction" in Britain. The "new era of moral trade" was initiated by British Secretary of State for International Development Claire Short in 1997. In modern business circles, consumers often consider the ethical behavior of organizations when buying goods, so it is very important for companies to declare and show their ethical behavior in the course of business. Nowadays, most planning proposals for establishing new organizations must include moral standards assessment and environmental impact analysis.

With the continuous revision and improvement of SA8000, the standard will eventually develop into a standard covering a wide range of ethics, society and environment. At present, SA8000 only involves personal rights and interests and initial audit related to core elements such as health, safety and equal opportunities. CEPAA is the accreditation body of SA8000 certification organization and the copyright owner of social responsibility standards.

Although SA8000 has not been translated into ISO international standard, it has been recognized internationally. More importantly, the standard is attracting wide attention and enthusiasm from the global organization community. Obviously, the social responsibility certification issued by the institution after comprehensive and independent audit by the certification institution will be the most effective recognition of the ethical behavior and social responsibility management ability of the visiting institution. SA8000 will be an important part of the organization's success in the future international competition.

Eight. comment

SA8000 is an important standard for introducing social value into organizational practice, and social value is the soul of organizational reputation today; SA8000 provides the company with social responsibility norms, but the more important work is to conduct consistency audit; Only after the company has incorporated SA8000 into its daily management norms and disclosed the results of behavioral performance measurement to relevant parties can it be confirmed that the company is implementing this standard; SA8000 has undoubtedly played a role in protecting the rights and interests of relevant parties and assisting management, and related issues will be included in the agenda of global organization management.