Kamarjuri, Natun Bazar, National University, Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh

Social Accountability Requirements

1. CHILD LABOUR
1.1 The organization shall not engage in or support the use of child labor as defined above.
1.2 The organization shall
 establish, document, maintain and effectively communicate to personnel and other interested parties, written
policies and procedures for remediation of child laborer’s,
 provide adequate financial and other support to enable such children to attend and remain in school until no
longer a child as defined above.
1.3 The organization may employ young workers, but
 where such young workers are subject to compulsory education laws, they shall work only outside of school
hours.
 Under no circumstances shall any young worker’s school, work and transportation time exceed a combined
total of 10 hours per day,
 and in no case shall young workers work more than 8 hours a day. Young workers may not work during
night hours.
1.4 The organization shall not expose children or young workers to any situations – in or outside of the workplace –
that are hazardous or unsafe to their physical and mental health and development.
2. FORCED OR COMPULSORY LABOUR
2.1 The organization shall not
 engage in or support the use of forced or compulsory labor, including prison labor, as defined in Convention
29,
 shall not retain original identification papers and
 shall not require personnel to pay ‘deposits’ to the organization upon commencing employment.
2.2 Neither the organization nor any entity supplying labor to the organization shall withhold any part of any
personnel’s salary, benefits, property or documents in order to force such personnel to continue working for the
organization.
2.3 The organization shall ensure that no employment fees or costs are borne in whole or in part by workers.
2.4 Personnel shall have the right
 to leave the workplace premises after completing the standard workday and
 be free to terminate their employment provided that they give reasonable notice to their organization.
2.5 Neither the organization nor any entity supplying labor to the organization shall engage in or support human
trafficking.
3. HEALTH AND SAFETY
3.1 The organization shall
 provide a safe and healthy workplace environment and shall take effective steps to prevent potential health
and safety incidents and
 occupational injury or illness arising out of, associated with or occurring in the course of work.
 It shall minimize or eliminate, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of all hazards in the workplace
environment, based upon the prevailing safety and health knowledge of the industry sector and of any
specific hazards.
3.2 The organization shall assess all the workplace risks to new, expectant and nursing mothers including those
arising out of their work activity, to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to remove or reduce any risks to their
health and safety.
3.3 Where hazards remain after effective minimization or elimination of the causes of all hazards in the workplace
environment, the organization
 shall provide personnel with appropriate personal protective equipment as needed at its own expense.
 In the event of a work-related injury the organization shall provide first aid and assist the worker in obtaining
follow-up medical treatment.
3.4 The organization shall appoint a senior management representative to be responsible for ensuring a safe and
healthy workplace environment for all personnel and for implementing this Standard’s Health and Safety
requirements.
 Kamarjuri, Natun Bazar, National University, Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh
3.5 A Health and Safety Committee, comprised of a well-balanced group of management representatives and
workers, shall be established and maintained.
 Unless otherwise specified by law, at least one worker member(s) on the Committee shall be by recognized
trade union(s) representative(s), if they choose to serve.
 In cases where the union(s) does not appoint a representative or the organization is not unionized, workers
shall appoint a representative(s) as they deem appropriate.
 Its decisions shall be effectively communicated to all personnel.
 The Committee shall be trained and retrained periodically in order to be competently committed to
continually improving the health and safety conditions in the workplace.
 It shall conduct formal, periodic occupational health and safety risk assessments to identify and then address
current and potential health and safety hazards. Records of these assessments and corrective and preventive
actions taken shall be kept.
3.6 The organization shall provide to personnel, on a regular basis, effective health and safety training, including on-
site training and, where needed, job-specific training.
 Such training shall also be repeated for new and reassigned personnel, where incidents have occurred, and
when changes in technology and/or the introduction of new machinery present new risks to the health and
safety of personnel.
3.7 The organization shall establish documented procedures to detect, prevent, minimize, eliminate or otherwise
respond to potential risks to the health and safety of personnel.
 The organization shall maintain written records of all health and safety incidents that occur in the workplace
and in all residences and property provided by the organization, whether it owns, leases or contracts the
residences or property from a service provider.
3.8 The organization shall provide, for use by all personnel, free access to: clean toilet facilities, potable water,
suitable spaces for meal breaks, and, where applicable, sanitary facilities for food storage.
3.9 The organization shall ensure that any dormitory facilities provided for personnel are clean, safe and meet their
basic needs, whether it owns, leases or contracts the dormitories from a service provider.
3.10 All personnel shall have the right to remove themselves from imminent serious danger without seeking
permission from the organization.
4. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION & RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
4.1 All personnel shall have the right to form, join and organize trade union(s) of their choice and to bargain
collectively on their behalf with the organization.
 The organization shall respect this right and shall effectively inform personnel that they are free to join a
worker organization of their choosing without any negative consequences or retaliation from the
organization.
 The organization shall not interfere in any way with the establishment, functioning or administration of
workers’ organization(s) or collective bargaining.
4.2 In situations where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted under law, the
organization shall allow workers to freely elect their own representatives.
4.3 The organization shall ensure that union members, representatives of workers and any personnel engaged in
organizing workers are not subjected to discrimination, harassment, intimidation or retaliation for being union
members, representative(s) of workers or engaged in organizing workers, and that such representatives have access to
their members in the workplace.
5. DISCRIMINATION
5.1 The organization shall not engage in or support discrimination in hiring, remuneration, access to training,
promotion, termination or retirement based on race, national or territorial or social origin, caste, birth, religion,
disability, gender, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, marital status, union membership, political opinions,
age or any other condition that could give rise to discrimination.
5.2 The organization shall not interfere with the exercise of personnel’s rights to observe, tenets or practices or to
meet needs relating to race, national or social origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, family
responsibilities, union membership, political opinions or any other condition that could give rise to discrimination.
5.3 The organization shall not allow any behavior that is threatening, abusive, exploitative or sexually coercive,
including gestures, language and physical contact, in the workplace and in all residences and property provided by
the organization, whether it owns leases or contracts the residences or property from a service provider.
5.4 The organization shall not subject personnel to pregnancy or virginity tests under any circumstances.
 Kamarjuri, Natun Bazar, National University, Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh
6. DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES
6.1 The organization shall treat all personnel with dignity and respect. The organization shall not engage in or
tolerate the use of corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion or verbal abuse of personnel. No harsh or
inhumane treatment is allowed.
7. WORKING HOURS
7.1 The organization shall comply with applicable laws, collective bargaining agreements (where applicable) and
industry standards on working hours, breaks and public holidays. The normal work week, not including overtime,
shall be defined by law but shall not exceed 48 hours.
7.2 Personnel shall be provided with at least one day off following every six consecutive days of working.
Exceptions to this rule apply only where both of the following conditions exist:
a) National law allows work time exceeding this limit; and
b) A freely negotiated collective bargaining agreement is in force that allows work time averaging, including
adequate rest periods.
7.3 All overtime work shall be voluntary, except as provided in 7.4 below, shall not exceed 12 hours per week and
shall not be requested on a regular basis.
7.4 In cases where overtime work is needed in order to meet short-term business demand and the organization is
party to a freely negotiated collective bargaining agreement representing a significant portion of its workforce, the
organization may require such overtime work in accordance with such agreement. Any such agreement must comply
with the other requirements of this Working Hours element.
8. REMUNERATION
8.1 The organization shall respect the right of personnel to a living wage and ensure that wages for a normal work
week, not including overtime, shall always meet at least legal or industry minimum standards, or collective
bargaining agreements (where applicable). Wages shall be sufficient to meet the basic needs of personnel and to
provide some discretionary income.
8.2 The organization shall not make deductions from wages for disciplinary purposes. Exception to this rule applies
only when both of the following conditions exist:
a) Deductions from wages for disciplinary purposes are permitted by national law; and
b) A freely negotiated collective bargaining agreement is in force that permits this practice.
8.3 The organization shall ensure that personnel’s wages and benefits composition are detailed clearly and regularly
to them in writing for each pay period.
 The organization shall lawfully render all wages and benefits due in a manner convenient to workers, but in
no circumstances in delayed or restricted forms, such as vouchers, coupons or promissory notes.
8.4 All overtime shall be reimbursed at a premium rate as defined by national law or established by a collective
bargaining agreement. In countries where a premium rate for overtime is not regulated by law or there is no
collective bargaining agreement, personnel shall be compensated for overtime at the organization’s premium rate or
at a premium rate equal to prevailing industry standards, whichever is higher.
8.5 The organization shall not use labor-only contracting arrangements, consecutive short-term contracts and/or false
apprenticeship or other schemes to avoid meeting its obligations to personnel under applicable laws and regulations
pertaining to labor and social security.
9. MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
9.1 Policies, Procedures and Records
9.1.1 Senior management shall write a policy statement to inform personnel, in all appropriate languages, that it has
chosen to comply with SA8000.
9.1.2 This policy statement shall include the organization’s commitment to conform to all requirements of the
SA8000 Standard and to respect the international instruments as listed in the previous section on Normative Elements
and Their Interpretation. The statement shall also commit the organization to comply with: national laws, other
applicable laws and other requirements to which the organization subscribes.
9.1.3 This policy statement and the SA8000 Standard shall be prominently and conspicuously displayed, in
appropriate and comprehensible form, in the workplace and in residences and property provided by the organization,
whether it owns, leases or contracts the residences or property from a service provider.
9.1.4 The organization shall develop policies and procedures to implement the SA8000 Standard.
9.1.5 These policies and procedures shall be effectively communicated and made accessible to personnel in all
appropriate languages. These communications shall also be clearly shared with customers, suppliers, sub-contractors
and sub-suppliers.
 Kamarjuri, Natun Bazar, National University, Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh
9.1.6 The organization shall maintain appropriate records to demonstrate conformance to and implementation of the
SA8000 standard, including the Management System requirements contained in this element. Associated records
shall be kept and written or oral summaries given to the SA8000 worker representative(s).
9.1.7 The organization shall regularly conduct a management review of its policy statement, policies, procedures
implementing this Standard and performance results, in order to continually improve.
9.1.8 The organization shall make its policy statement publicly available in an effective form and manner to
interested parties, upon request.
9.2 Social Performance Team
9.2.1 A Social Performance Team (SPT) shall be established to implement all elements of SA8000. The Team shall
include a balanced representation of:
a) SA8000 worker representative(s); and b) management.
Compliance accountability for the Standard shall solely rest with Senior Management.
9.2.2 In unionized facilities, worker representation on the SPT shall be by recognized trade union(s)
representative(s), if they choose to serve. In cases where the union(s) does not appoint a representative or the
organization is not unionized, workers may freely elect one or more SA8000 worker representative(s) from among
themselves for this purpose. In no circumstances shall the SA8000 worker representative(s) be seen as a substitute for
trade union representation.
9.3 Identification and Assessment of Risks
9.3.1 The SPT shall conduct periodic written risk assessments to identify and priorities the areas of actual or potential
non-conformance to this Standard. It shall also recommend actions to Senior Management that address these risks.
Actions to address these risks shall be prioritised according to their severity or where a delay in responding would
make it impossible to address.
9.3.2 The SPT shall conduct these assessments based on their recommended data and data collection techniques and
in meaningful consultation with interested parties.
9.4 Monitoring
9.4.1 The SPT shall effectively monitor workplace activities for:
a) compliance with this Standard;
b) implementation of actions to effectively address the risks identified by the SPT; and
c) for the effectiveness of systems implemented to meet the organization’s policies and the requirements of this
Standard.
It shall have the authority to collect information from or include interested parties (stakeholders) in its monitoring
activities. It shall also liaise with other departments to study, define, analyses and/or address any possible non-
conformance(s) to the SA8000 Standard.
9.4.2 The SPT shall also facilitate routine internal audits and produce reports for senior management on the
performance and benefits of actions taken to meet the SA8000 Standard, including a record of corrective and
preventive actions identified.
9.4.3 The SPT shall also hold periodic meetings to review progress and identify potential actions to strengthen
implementation of the Standard.
9.5 Internal Involvement and Communication
9.5.1 The organization shall demonstrate that personnel effectively understand the requirements of SA8000, and shall
regularly communicate the requirements of SA8000 through routine communications.
9.6 Complaint Management and Resolution
9.6.1 The organization shall establish a written grievance procedure that is confidential, unbiased, non-retaliatory and
accessible and available to personnel and interested parties to make comments, recommendations, reports or
complaints concerning the workplace and/or non-conformances to the SA8000 Standard.
9.6.2 The organization shall have procedures for investigating, following up on and communicating the outcome of
complaints concerning the workplace and/or non-conformances to this Standard or of its implementing policies and
procedures. These results shall be freely available to all personnel and, upon request, to interested parties.
9.6.3 The organization shall not discipline, dismiss or otherwise discriminate against any personnel or interested
party for providing information on SA8000 compliance or for making other workplace complaints.
9.7 External Verification and Stakeholder Engagement
9.7.1 In the case of announced and unannounced audits for the purpose of certifying its compliance with the
requirements of this Standard, the organization shall fully cooperate with external auditors to determine the severity
and frequency of any problems that arise in meeting the SA8000 Standard.
 Kamarjuri, Natun Bazar, National University, Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh
9.7.2 The organization shall participate in stakeholder engagement in order to attain sustainable compliance with the
SA8000 Standard.
9.8 Corrective and Preventive Actions
9.8.1 The organization shall formulate policies and procedures for the prompt implementation of corrective and
preventive actions and shall provide adequate resources for them.
 The SPT shall ensure that these actions are effectively implemented.
9.8.2 The SPT shall maintain records, including timelines, that list, at minimum, non-conformances related to
SA8000, their root causes, the corrective and preventive actions taken and implementation results.
9.9 Training and Capacity Building
9.9.1 The organization shall implement a training plan for all personnel to effectively implement the SA8000
Standard as informed by the results of risk assessments.
 The organization shall periodically measure the effectiveness of training and record their nature and
frequency.
9.10 Management of Suppliers and Contractors
9.10.1 The organization shall
 conduct due diligence on its suppliers/subcontractors, private employment agencies and sub-suppliers’
compliance with the SA8000 Standard.
 The same due diligence approach shall be applied when selecting new suppliers/subcontractors, private
employment agencies and sub-suppliers.
 The minimum activities for the organization to fulfil this requirement shall be recorded and shall include:
a) effectively communicating the requirements of this Standard to senior leadership of
suppliers/subcontractors, private employment agencies and sub-suppliers;
b) assessing significant risks of non-conformance by suppliers/subcontractors, private employment agencies
and sub-suppliers. [Note: an explanation of “significant risk” is found in the guidance document];
c) making reasonable efforts to ensure that these significant risks are adequately addressed by
suppliers/subcontractors, private employment agencies and sub-suppliers and by the organization where and
when appropriate, and prioritised according to the organization’s ability and resources to influence these
entities; [Note: an explanation of “reasonable effort” is found in the guidance document]; and
d) establishing monitoring activities and tracking performance of suppliers/subcontractors, private
employment agencies and sub-suppliers to ensure that these significant risks are effectively addressed.
9.10.2 Where the organization receives, handles or promotes goods and/or services from suppliers /subcontractors or
sub-suppliers who are classified as home workers, the organization shall take effective actions to ensure that such
home workers are afforded a level of protection substantially equivalent to that afforded to the organization’s other
workers under the requirements of this Standard.

Prepared By Review By Distribution Approved By

By Date & Signature
Md. Abdul Hye Participants Mamode Iqbal Jafer
Manager Committee COO,
(HR, Admin & Compliance) (Chief Operating Officer)