SA8000:2026 标准准则速查

The organization shall respect the principles of the Standard and the international documents it draws on, and seek to continually improve its performance.

The organization shall ensure its performance, at minimum, meets:

1. a) Legal and regulatory requirements relevant to this Standard;
2. b) Collective bargaining agreements; and
3. c) Other requirements relevant to this Standard to which the organization subscribes.

Where legal and/or regulatory requirements differ from this Standard, the organization shall apply the criteria most beneficial to personnel.

Where legal and/or regulatory requirements contradict this Standard, the organization shall identify, prevent, mitigate, and remediate the risks to personnel, to the extent permitted by law.

To ensure decent work for all personnel, the organization shall establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve a management system grounded in leadership commitment and worker and stakeholder involvement.

The organization’s top decision-making bodies and top management shall demonstrate commitment to the principles of this Standard by, at minimum:

1. a) Integrating the principles of this Standard into organizational strategy and performance measurements;
2. b) Approving the organization’s policy commitment and mutual expectations for business partners;
3. c) Periodically conducting strategic management review of the organization’s performance against this Standard and organizational objectives;
4. d) Involving functional areas across the organization in meeting this Standard;
5. e) Assigning responsibility and accountability for meeting the Standard through an integrated management system at all levels of management; and
6. f) Aligning roles, competencies, personnel goals and incentives, performance review criteria, compensation, promotions, disciplinary actions, termination, and decision-making processes with the organization’s policy commitment.

Composition of decision-making bodies and management shall be adequately representative of stakeholders.

Responsibility and accountability for meeting this Standard shall ultimately rest with top management. This shall be demonstrated, at minimum, by integration of this Standard's principles and criteria in:

• Organizational structure;
• Roles and responsibilities;
• Competencies;
• Goals and incentives;
• Performance review criteria;
• Compensation;
• Promotions;
• Terminations; and
• Decision-making processes and authorities.

Top management shall ensure that conflicts of interest in meeting this Standard are identified, disclosed, and appropriately managed.

The organization shall engage workers, including labor unions and other worker representatives, and integrate their input in the development and implementation of its management system for meeting the requirements of this Standard, including in:

1. a) Defining policies;
2. b) Identifying, assessing, and prioritizing adverse impacts and risks;
3. c) Setting objectives and planning for implementation;
4. d) Monitoring performance and management systems, including of business partners;
5. e) Designing and operating grievance channels and processes; and
6. f) Determining options for remediation.

Where present, the organization shall collaborate with labor unions to meaningfully engage workers in its management system.

The organization shall ensure workers have access to effective and inclusive channels for communication and involvement, which at minimum:

1. a) Actively seek the input and feedback of workers;
2. b) Enable workers to represent their interests to management;
3. c) Provide varied means of participation in a manner convenient to workers;
4. d) Enable representation of workplace demographics;
5. e) Are accessible for all workers;
6. f) Are trusted and actively utilized;
7. g) Are confidential if desired;
8. h) Align with worker interests and concerns; and
9. i) Do not result in retaliation or retribution.

The organization shall establish social performance team(s) to support and facilitate the organization’s management system. The organization shall ensure that established and existing teams, at minimum:

1. a) Are composed of a balanced representation of workers and managers, personnel demographics, and organizational functions and roles;
2. b) Include representation of present labor unions and workers’ organizations, if they choose to serve;
3. c) Provide for independent peer election of worker participants;
4. d) Do not undermine the role of labor unions; and
5. e) Facilitate worker involvement in key management system functions, including: defining policies; identifying, assessing, and prioritizing adverse impacts and risks; setting objectives and planning for implementation; monitoring performance; and designing and operating grievance mechanisms.

The organization shall periodically identify and prioritize relevant stakeholders to engage in its management system for meeting the requirements of this Standard, with first priority given to those most impacted by the organization.

The organization shall conduct meaningful stakeholder engagement for the development and implementation of its management system, at minimum when:

• Defining policies;
• Identifying, assessing, and prioritizing adverse impacts and risks;
• Monitoring performance and management systems, including of business partners;
• Designing and operating grievance channels and processes;
• Determining options for remediation; and
• The organization lacks needed knowledge.

Stakeholder engagement shall, at minimum:

1. a) Actively seek the input and feedback of relevant stakeholders;
2. b) Be accessible;
3. c) Be conducted in good faith;
4. d) Be responsive to stakeholder concerns; and
5. e) Not result in retaliation or retribution.

The organization shall consider stakeholder needs, expectations, concerns, and complaints in organizational decision-making.

The organization shall establish, document, and periodically update a policy statement that articulates its commitment to the principles of this Standard. At minimum, the organization shall commit to:

1. a) Meet or exceed the requirements and principles of this Standard, relevant legal requirements, and other relevant requirements;
2. b) Address risks that it causes, contributes to, or is directly linked to through its operations or business relationships through measures that are commensurate to their severity and likelihood;
3. c) Prioritize solutions that prevent adverse impacts in both the short- and long-term;
4. d) Behave ethically and with integrity in meeting this Standard;
5. e) Maintain integrated management systems to ensure coherence in meeting the requirements of this Standard;
6. f) Maintain consultation with and respond to the expectations of workers and other stakeholders, including by seeking to engage in social dialogue;
7. g) Consider risks to personnel when conducting business planning and commit to mitigate associated impacts; and
8. h) Continually improve its performance and management systems related to this Standard.

The organization shall establish, document, and periodically update a policy of mutual expectations for business partners. This policy shall, at minimum, commit to:

1. a) Require business partners to respect the principles of this Standard, relevant legal requirements, and other relevant requirements;
2. b) Conduct due diligence of business partners;
3. c) Address ways in which the organization causes, contributes to, or is linked to business partners’ inability to meet the above expectations; and
4. d) Set clear expectations for ending relationships with business partners, including appropriate engagement and consideration of risks to personnel before ending business relationships.

The organization’s policies, practices, goals, and incentives shall not contradict or undermine its commitments to the principles of this Standard or the organization’s objectives.

The organization’s policies, lobbying, and other external interactions shall not contradict or undermine its commitments to the principles of this Standard or the organization’s objectives.

The organization shall periodically identify and seek to understand its context, including:

1. a) The organization’s own operations;
2. b) The organization’s direct and indirect business relationships;
3. c) The needs and expectations of workers and their representatives and other relevant stakeholders ; and
4. d) Other aspects of its internal and external operating environment, including relevant regulatory, market, cultural, social, economic, and other factors.

Considering its context, the organization shall periodically identify:

1. a) Actual and potential adverse impacts relevant to this Standard that it causes, contributes to, or is directly linked to (or may cause, contribute to, or be directly linked to) through its operations or business relationships under normal or exceptional circumstances, including those specific to vulnerable populations;
2. b) Risk factors related to its actual and potential adverse impacts;
3. c) The degree of its contribution to actual and potential adverse impacts caused by its business partners; and
4. d) Actual and potential adverse impacts related to its performance against this Standard that may result from business ethics or integrity issues.

The organization shall periodically assess, prioritize, and document its risks based on severity of adverse impacts and severity and likelihood of potential adverse impacts.

For prioritized risks, the organization shall identify root causes, taking into consideration potential causes including:

• Management systems causes;
• Operational causes, including the organization’s business model; and
• External causes, including those that are social, cultural, regulatory, and/or environmental.

The organization shall periodically establish, document, and update organizational objectives. These objectives shall be designed to:

1. a) Meet or exceed the requirements and principles of this Standard, relevant legal requirements, and other relevant requirements;
2. b) Meet the organization’s policy commitments;
3. c) Address the organization’s risks;
4. d) Address business ethics and integrity issues relevant to this Standard;
5. e) Address emergency preparedness and response issues relevant to this Standard;
6. f) Seek social dialogue, including in support of tripartite and other binding agreements to achieve its objectives; and
7. g) Continually improve the organization’s performance and management systems related to this Standard.

To address risks that it causes or contributes to, the organization shall (with due consideration for unintended consequences) plan for actions to:

1. a) Bring an end to adverse impacts;
2. b) Prevent future adverse impacts;
3. c) Mitigate risks; and
4. d) Ensure remediation for individuals and groups affected by adverse impacts.

To address risks that it is directly linked to, the organization shall plan to collaborate with and use its leverage to influence relevant stakeholders, including business partners, to end, prevent, mitigate, and remediate those risks.

The organization shall periodically define and plan for actions and processes needed to achieve its objectives. In doing so, the organization shall consider necessary:

• Management systems – including verbal and written policies and procedures, roles and responsibilities, documentation, personnel incentives and goals, training and capacity building, monitoring, worker and stakeholder awareness, and indicators and metrics;
• Resources – including financial, material, personnel, and information resources, such as needed competencies and external expertise, infrastructure, media, and information systems; and
• Relationships – including social dialogue, support for relevant tripartite and other binding agreements, and relationships with business partners, government, and other internal and external stakeholders.

The organization shall implement its planned processes and actions and deploy allocated resources, periodically adjusting plans and resources as necessary to ensure continued relevance and effectiveness.

The organization shall ensure personnel have appropriate awareness, understanding, access to information, and channels for communicating about:

• Their legal rights;
• Their rights as defined in this Standard;
• Risks related to their employment;
• Organizational policies, objectives, actions, and processes;
• Their roles and responsibilities in meeting the organization’s objectives and commitments;
• Relevant mechanisms and channels for their involvement in the management system; and
• Relevant mechanisms and channels for protection of their rights, including mechanisms for accessing remedy.

The organization shall ensure stakeholders are appropriately aware of:

• Relevant risks;
• Organizational policies, objectives, actions and processes; and
• Channels for their involvement and protection of rights as defined in this Standard.

In its interactions with business partners, the organization shall:

1. a) Ensure business partners have appropriate awareness, understanding, access to information and channels for communicating about the organization’s policies, objectives, actions, and processes;
2. b) Ensure that its business terms and practices do not undermine business partners’ ability to meet the mutual expectations it has set;
3. c) Provide business partners with support to end, prevent, mitigate, and remediate risks, commensurate with the organization’s contribution to those impacts;
4. d) Seek to minimize the administrative burdens of mutual expectations on business partners, where possible; and
5. e) Not end business relationships in response to risks, unless:
6. i. The business partner repeatedly fails to address the risk after appropriate engagement and support from the organization; AND
7. ii. Risks of ending the relationship are not greater than the original risk.

Documented information relevant for meeting requirements of this Standard shall be:

• Available and suitable;
• Accurate and clear;
• Effectively controlled; and
• Identifiable.

In meeting the requirements of this Standard, the organization shall operate and communicate with integrity.

The organization shall periodically report publicly about its processes and outcomes relevant to this Standard. Public reporting shall, at minimum:

1. a) Be transparent, truthful, and clear;
2. b) Meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders;
3. c) Include the organization’s policy commitment;
4. d) Describe the organization’s business operations;
5. e) Communicate about how the organization is addressing its risks;
6. f) Provide information, upon request, about the use of grievance mechanisms and results of grievance processes;
7. g) Meet legal, regulatory, and other reporting requirements; and
8. h) Be appropriately accessible and available to stakeholders.

The organization shall engage transparently and openly with authorized third parties, including by providing access to required documentation, records, materials, persons, and work-related environments.

The organization shall monitor its performance against and management systems for meeting the requirements of this Standard. Monitoring shall, at minimum:

1. a) Assess implementation of planned actions and processes;
2. b) Assess adherence to this Standard;
3. c) Assess performance of relevant business partners against established mutual expectations; and
4. d) Be appropriately documented.

The organization shall incorporate information from multiple sources in its monitoring processes, including as relevant:

• Assessment and prioritization of risks;
• Planned indicators and metrics;
• Internal and external grievance mechanisms and communication channels;
• Worker engagement and communication;
• Stakeholder complaints and concerns;
• Social dialogue and feedback from relevant tripartite and other binding agreements;
• Publicly available news and information sources;
• Internal and external audits; and
• External experts.

The organization shall establish, maintain, and monitor a grievance mechanism for personnel to raise concerns, issues, complaints, incidents, and grievances relevant to this Standard against the organization or its business partners. The organization’s grievance mechanisms for personnel shall:

• Be legitimate; accessible; predictable; equitable; transparent; dialogue-based; rights-compatible; and a source for continual improvement;
• Maintain users’ confidentiality;
• Not result in retaliation against users, whether by the organization or other parties; and
• Not result in loss of earnings for personnel participating in grievance procedures.

The organization shall establish, maintain, and monitor a grievance mechanism for external stakeholders to raise concerns, issues, complaints, incidents, and grievances relevant to this Standard against the organization or its business partners. The organization’s grievance mechanisms for external stakeholders shall:

• Be legitimate; accessible; predictable; equitable; transparent; dialogue-based; rights-compatible; and a source for continual improvement;
• Maintain users’ confidentiality;
• Not result in retaliation against users, whether by the organization or other parties; and
• Not result in loss of earnings for personnel participating in grievance procedures.

The organization shall engage in good faith with external grievance and remediation processes related to adverse human rights impacts and risks it caused, contributed to, or is directly linked to through its operations or business relationships.

The outputs of monitoring and grievance mechanisms shall result in actions (including changes to management systems, resources, and/or relationships) to:

1. a) Bring an end to adverse impacts;
2. b) Prevent future adverse impacts;
3. c) Mitigate risks; and
4. d) Ensure remediation for individuals and groups affected by adverse impacts.

The organization shall periodically review its performance against its objectives and this Standard. During its review, the organization shall assess, at minimum:

1. a) Progress toward achieving its objectives;
2. b) Effectiveness of its planned and implemented actions and processes;
3. c) Appropriateness and adequacy of planned and implemented actions, processes, and resources;
4. d) Effectiveness of its management system; and
5. e) Opportunities to improve its performance.

The organization shall incorporate information from multiple sources in its review, including as relevant:

• Assessment and prioritization of risks;
• Monitoring processes;
• Internal and external grievance mechanisms and communication channels;
• Worker engagement and communication;
• Stakeholder complaints and concerns;
• Social dialogue and feedback from relevant tripartite and other binding agreements;
• Publicly available news and information sources;
• Internal and external audits; and
• External experts.

Outputs of this review shall:

1. a) Inform the organization’s periodic assessment and prioritization of risks and monitoring processes;
2. b) Inform organizational strategy and decision making; and
3. c) Lead to changes to organizational policies, resources, objectives, processes, and actions, as needed.

The organization shall demonstrate continual improvement of decent work performance and management systems in its operations and business relationships, including by:

1. a) Continually addressing risks across priority levels;
2. b) Identifying and pursuing opportunities to improve working conditions beyond the requirements in this Standard; and
3. c) Identifying and pursuing opportunities to increase worker and stakeholder involvement and integration in the organization’s management system.

The organization shall respect the rights of children, including young workers.

The organization shall not employ children under 15 years of age (or under the age of compulsory schooling, if higher). Exceptions may be made where cases meet the definition of “Legally Working Child(ren)” in this Standard.

The organization shall ensure that employment of young workers:

1. a) Protects the workers’ social, moral, and physical development and does not constitute a hazard to their general health and well-being;
2. b) Is not so demanding as to undermine their educational attainment;
3. c) Provides pay and benefits commensurate with those of adult workers in similar positions; and
4. d) Does not exceed hours of work limitations, including:
5. i. 8 hours work in any one day (or the legal maximum if less than 8 hours),
6. ii. 10 hours per day for school, work, and transportation combined (or the legal maximum if less than 10 hours), and
7. iii. Does not occur during night hours.

Where non-working children are present in work-related environments, the organization shall ensure:

1. a) Protection from hazards and health risks;
2. b) Provision for basic needs appropriate to each child’s age (e.g., access to food, water, toilet facilities, etc.);
3. c) Adequate and continuous adult supervision; and
4. d) Non-interference with the organization’s processes.

The organization shall develop and implement effective management systems to meet or exceed the requirements and principles associated with Protection of Children and Young Workers throughout its operations and business relationships, including:

1. a) M1: Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration;
2. b) M2: Worker Involvement and Integration;
3. c) M3: Stakeholder Involvement and Integration;
4. d) M4: Policy Commitment and Coherence;
5. e) M5: Context, Impacts, and Risks;
6. f) M6: Objectives, Planning, and Resources;
7. g) M7: Awareness and Implementation;
8. h) M8: Integrity and Transparency;
9. i) M9: Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms; and
10. j) M10: Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement.

The organization shall respect and recognize the rights of personnel to freely form, join, and participate in labor unions and other workers' organizations of their choosing and to bargain collectively.

The organization shall ensure personnel are informed of their rights to form, join, and participate in labor unions and other workers’ organizations of their choosing without negative consequences or retaliation from the organization.

The organization shall ensure that it does not interfere, either directly or through third parties, with the establishment, functioning, or administration of labor unions or other workers’ organizations.

The organization shall ensure that members of labor unions and other workers’ organizations, worker representatives, and any personnel engaged in organizing workers are not subjected to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or retaliation based on their labor union membership or activities.

The organization shall ensure that members of labor unions and other workers’ organizations, worker representatives, and any personnel engaged in organizing workers have fair access to members in work-related environments.

The organization shall conduct collective bargaining in good faith with worker representatives, unions, and other workers’ organizations, if they so request.

Where a sectoral collective bargaining agreement exists, the organization shall respect and fulfil its obligations under the agreement. This does not preclude additional collective bargaining by labor unions or other workers’ organizations at the organization level, so long as such agreements are more beneficial to workers than any sectoral agreements in place.

The organization shall ensure that workplace consultation committees, including social performance teams, and other worker groups do not interfere with the establishment, functioning, or administration of labor unions and other workers’ organizations or with collective bargaining.

The organization shall develop and implement effective management systems to meet or exceed the requirements and principles associated with Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining throughout its operations and business relationships, including:

1. a) M1: Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration;
2. b) M2: Worker Involvement and Integration;
3. c) M3: Stakeholder Involvement and Integration;
4. d) M4: Policy Commitment and Coherence;
5. e) M5: Context, Impacts, and Risks;
6. f) M6: Objectives, Planning, and Resources;
7. g) M7: Awareness and Implementation;
8. h) M8: Integrity and Transparency;
9. i) M9: Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms; and
10. j) M10: Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement.

The organization shall respect the rights of personnel and applicants to free and fair recruitment, employment, and termination.

The organization shall ensure that personnel and applicants understand and voluntarily agree to the applicable terms and conditions of recruitment, employment, and termination, including through:

1. a) Use of accessible and understandable language(s) and communication methods;
2. b) Clear, accurate, and comprehensive description of relevant processes, details of the role, and work conditions;
3. c) Clear, accurate, and comprehensive working agreement; and
4. d) Clear, accurate, and comprehensive description of living conditions where relevant.

The organization shall clearly communicate to affected personnel in advance any changes to their terms and conditions of employment or termination, with sufficient time for personnel to make alternative arrangements if desired.

The organization shall ensure that personnel and applicants have freedom of movement in recruitment, employment, and termination, including:

1. a) Continuous access to identification and other important documents;
2. b) Voluntary, non-excessive overtime, where applicable;
3. c) Freedom from threats, ransoms, or holds against persons, wages, or property;
4. d) Reasonable physical autonomy and movement in work-related environments; and
5. e) Freedom to transfer their skills and knowledge to new employment without undue restriction.

The organization shall ensure personnel and applicants are free from financial burden related to recruitment, employment, and termination, including:

• Debt bondage;
• Financial penalty;
• Fees;
• Theft or forfeiting of wages; and
• Exploitative piece-rate systems.

The organization shall ensure that fees and costs related to recruitment, employment, and termination are not borne, in whole or in part, by personnel or applicants.

The organization shall ensure personnel and applicants are free from harassment and intimidation in recruitment, employment, and termination, including:

• Physical and sexual violence;
• Threats to self or others; and
• Psychological and emotional violence.

The organization shall ensure that disciplinary policies and practices:

• Are clearly communicated to personnel upon their hiring;
• Are applied consistently and fairly across the organization; and
• Are clearly documented and communicated to involved personnel.

The organization shall ensure that its terms and conditions of work, including location, provision of housing, provision of private communication channels, available transportation, work schedule, and others do not unduly isolate personnel.

The organization shall ensure that its terms and conditions of work, including location, provision of housing, provision of private communication channels, available transportation, work schedule, and others do not unduly force personnel to separate from children and dependents.

Where the organization participates in or uses apprenticeship, internship, or vocational education programs, it shall ensure that positions created through these programs:

1. a) Are not used to replace regular positions;
2. b) Are for a pre-specified duration;
3. c) Are not compensated below the legal minimum wage; and that they
4. d) Contribute to the development of personnel’s skills, professional competence, and/or other work-related attributes.

The organization shall ensure any termination of employment is fair and transparent, including:

1. a) Non-discriminatory;
2. b) Adequate allocation of resources to meet contracts, binding collective bargaining agreements, and applicable laws and regulations;
3. c) Timely payment of severance, wages, and other compensation; and
4. d) Use of large-scale retrenchment only as a last resort.

The organization shall develop and implement effective management systems to meet or exceed the requirements and principles associated with Free and Fair Recruitment, Employment, and Termination throughout its operations and business relationships, including:

1. a) M1: Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration;
2. b) M2: Worker Involvement and Integration;
3. c) M3: Stakeholder Involvement and Integration;
4. d) M4: Policy Commitment and Coherence;
5. e) M5: Context, Impacts, and Risks;
6. f) M6: Objectives, Planning, and Resources;
7. g) M7: Awareness and Implementation;
8. h) M8: Integrity and Transparency;
9. i) M9: Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms; and
10. j) M10: Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement.

The organization shall respect the rights of personnel to hours, wages, and benefits that support a decent standard of living.

The organization shall respect the rights of personnel to at least a living wage or living income (or legal minimum wage, if higher) and to receive legally required benefits.

Where contextual barriers prevent the organization from independently providing personnel with living wages and incomes, the organization shall collaborate with relevant stakeholders to address these, including by:

1. a) Engaging in social dialogue, including in support of relevant tripartite and other binding agreements; and
2. b) Engaging with business partners, government, and other internal and external stakeholders.

The organization shall respect the rights of personnel to reasonable hours, which at minimum limit:

1. a) Regular hours to 48 hours per week (or the maximum permitted by law, if lower); and
2. b) Overtime to 12 hours per week (or the maximum permitted by law, if lower).

The organization shall ensure that overtime:

1. a) Is voluntary, unless national law and a binding collective bargaining agreement allow;
2. b) Is paid at a premium rate;

a. In cases where premium rate is not defined in law, prevailing overtime rates across sectors in the country apply;

1. c) Is calculated per work week, unless national law and a binding collective bargaining agreement allow;
2. d) Meets relevant legal requirements, and other relevant requirements; and
3. e) Is not required on a regular basis, including due to inadequate planning or non-payment of living wage or living income.

The organization shall ensure personnel work schedules, including hours:

1. a) Support a decent standard of living;
2. b) Are predictable and convenient to personnel;
3. c) Do not pose health and safety risks;
4. d) Include adequate breaks and rest periods;
5. e) Do not use hours-averaging to deprive personnel of premium pay;
6. f) Provide at least one 24-hour rest day following six consecutive days of working, unless one of the below exceptions applies:
7. i. National law and a binding collective bargaining agreement allow, or
8. ii. ILO convention allows, or
9. iii. Longer consecutive work is required by exceptional circumstances and personnel request the additional consecutive days;
10. g) Provide personnel with adequate paid and unpaid leave, including:
11. i. Sick leave,
12. ii. Family leave,
13. iii. Vacation leave, and
14. iv. Public holidays;
15. h) Are considerate of needs for flexibility based on personnel demographics; and
16. i) Do not unfairly limit access to organizational or government benefits.

Where personnel are legally exempt from overtime pay, hours maximums, and other requirements, the organization shall ensure:

1. a) Compensation meets or exceeds the amount they would earn by working the same number of hours at the living wage with overtime premiums; and
2. b) Personnel have reasonable discretion over hours worked.

The organization shall render all due wages and benefits regularly, punctually, and in a manner convenient to personnel.

In addition to compensating personnel for time spent performing their roles, the organization shall provide personnel with adequate compensation for:

• Time during which they are required to be at their place of work;
• Lost work time due to work-related injury or illness; and
• Lost work time due to participation in training, social performance teams, or grievance processes.

The organization shall ensure that personnel regularly receive compensation records that clearly, fully, and accurately detail hours worked and the composition of due wages, benefits, and deductions.

In the event of disruption to business continuity, the organization shall prioritize payment of severance, wages, and other compensation to personnel.

The organization shall ensure disciplinary deductions from wages or hours:

1. a) Are only taken from wages due if national law and a binding collective bargaining agreement allow;
2. b) Are reasonable and for a limited period of time;
3. c) Do not bring wages below a living wage (or the legal minimum wage, if higher); and
4. d) Provide opportunity for appeal.

The organization shall ensure the use of piece-rate compensation, part-time employment, seasonal employment, short-term contracts, homeworkers, non-employee personnel, and work from home arrangements:

1. a) Are measured and evidence based;
2. b) Do not contradict the requirements of this Standard;
3. c) Provide wages and hours that support a decent standard of living;
4. d) Do not pose undue health and safety risks; and
5. e) Are transparent, predictable, and convenient to personnel.

The organization shall develop and implement effective management systems to meet or exceed the requirements and principles associated with Decent Hours, Wages, and Benefits throughout its operations and business relationships, including:

1. a) M1: Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration;
2. b) M2: Worker Involvement and Integration;
3. c) M3: Stakeholder Involvement and Integration;
4. d) M4: Policy Commitment and Coherence;
5. e) M5: Context, Impacts, and Risks;
6. f) M6: Objectives, Planning, and Resources;
7. g) M7: Awareness and Implementation;
8. h) M8: Integrity and Transparency;
9. i) M9: Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms; and
10. j) M10: Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement.

The organization shall respect the rights of personnel to freedom from discrimination.

The organization shall ensure personnel have equal access and opportunity and are free from discrimination in all their interactions with the organization, including:

• Hiring and recruitment;
• Employment and working conditions;
• Work placement;
• Performance review and feedback;
• Training and mentoring;
• Promotions and opportunities;
• Grievances;
• Wages and benefits, including accommodation, transportation, meals, partner and family benefits, and others;
• Disciplinary processes; and
• Termination and retirement.

The organization shall ensure personnel are free from unwelcome conduct, including harassment, bullying, and intimidation in work-related environments and from work-related persons.

The organization shall take reasonable steps to be inclusive of personnel’s differences, including:

• Abilities;
• Religious and customary practices;
• Literacy and language levels;
• Personal hygiene needs;
• Caretaking responsibilities; and
• Other needs that do not unduly impact personnel’s ability to perform their role.

The organization shall ensure personnel are not subject to invasive medical/bodily procedures as part of their employment, including:

• “Virginity” tests;
• Pregnancy tests;
• HIV/AIDS tests; and
• Other medical/bodily tests, inspections, or procedures not relevant to their specific role.

Exceptions may be made only:

1. a) As necessary to identify, prevent, and mitigate severe adverse impacts and risks to the individual or other personnel; and
2. b) When clearly communicated and agreed with personnel in advance.

The organization shall develop and implement effective management systems to meet or exceed the requirements and principles associated with Freedom from Discrimination throughout its operations and business relationships, including:

1. a) M1: Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration;
2. b) M2: Worker Involvement and Integration;
3. c) M3: Stakeholder Involvement and Integration;
4. d) M4: Policy Commitment and Coherence;
5. e) M5: Context, Impacts, and Risks;
6. f) M6: Objectives, Planning, and Resources;
7. g) M7: Awareness and Implementation;
8. h) M8: Integrity and Transparency;
9. i) M9: Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms; and
10. j) M10: Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement.

The organization shall respect the rights of personnel to health and safety, including physical, social, and mental well-being.

The organization shall assign a competent management representative whose responsibilities include ensuring safe and healthy work-related environments for personnel and for meeting this Standard’s health and safety requirements.

The organization shall periodically identify hazards and assess and prioritize their associated health and safety risks in work-related environments that the organization causes, contributes to, or is directly linked to through its operations or business relationships under normal or exceptional circumstances. The organization shall include both immediate and long-term or cumulative effects in its consideration of risks.

The organization shall adequately address risks from workplace hazards, including, but not limited to:

• Hazardous materials;
• Hazardous equipment, work environment, and/or utilities (e.g., machinery, air quality, electrical, lighting, dust, pathogens, noise, temperature, injury hazards, etc.); and
• Ergonomics.

The organization shall adequately address risks from natural and human-made disasters and emergencies, including, but not limited to:

• Fire and explosion/implosion;
• Earthquakes;
• Floods;
• Drought;
• Extreme environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures;
• Other (non-fire) emergency;
• Pathogens (communicable diseases); and
• Other foreseeable abnormal or emergency situations.

The organization shall adequately address risks from all other conditions that may pose a hazard to personnel, including, but not limited to:

• Structural safety of buildings and facilities;
• Safe and sanitary conditions (bathrooms, kitchens, housing, etc.); and
• Safety of transportation.

The organization shall adequately address risks from psychosocial hazards, including, but not limited to:

• Unreasonable deadlines or work expectations;
• Aggressive, bullying, or intimidating behavior by work-related persons;
• Inadequate personal privacy in work-related environments;
• Lack of transparency or conflicting expectations; and
• Unreasonable lack of security or stability in employment.

The organization shall ensure personnel have appropriate awareness, understanding, access to information, and channels for communicating about:

• Hazards related to personnel’s roles and the related health and safety risks;
• Related policies, procedures, roles, and responsibilities; and
• Their rights related to health and safety.

In the event of a work-related injury, the organization shall provide first aid and assist the affected personnel in obtaining follow-up medical treatment.

The organization shall provide, maintain, and replace appropriate personal protective equipment, as needed, at the organization’s own expense.

The organization shall ensure that work-related environments (whether owned, leased, or contracted from a service provider) are clean, safe, meet the basic needs of users, and provide personnel reasonable access to:

• Clean toilet facilities;
• Potable water;
• Suitable spaces for meal breaks;
• Sanitary facilities for food storage (where applicable);
• Changing rooms and secure storage (where applicable); and
• Private spaces for nursing parents (where applicable).

The organization shall ensure that employer-provided housing, transportation, food, and other goods and services meet relevant national and international standards of quality.

The organization shall develop and implement effective management systems to meet or exceed the requirements and principles associated with Health and Safety throughout its operations and business relationships, including:

1. a) M1: Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration;
2. b) M2: Worker Involvement and Integration;
3. c) M3: Stakeholder Involvement and Integration;
4. d) M4: Policy Commitment and Coherence;
5. e) M5: Context, Impacts, and Risks;
6. f) M6: Objectives, Planning, and Resources;
7. g) M7: Awareness and Implementation;
8. h) M8: Integrity and Transparency;
9. i) M9: Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms; and
10. j) M10: Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement.

The organization shall respect the rights of personnel to privacy.

The organization shall only collect, process, and use personal data of personnel:

1. a) For reasons directly relevant to the personnel’s work and/or services;
2. b) For the purposes for which they were originally collected;
3. c) In a manner that respects the personal autonomy of personnel;
4. d) On a limited basis when making decisions on employment, promotion, or termination; and
5. e) In a non-discriminatory manner.

The organization shall ensure the collection, distribution, use, maintenance, and disposition of personal data of personnel, at minimum:

1. a) Is accurate, valid, and reliable;
2. b) Minimizes the types and amount of data collected;
3. c) Provides appropriate security and confidentiality;
4. d) Ensures data is kept only as long as necessary for the specified and legitimate purpose;
5. e) Respects the intellectual property rights of personnel; and
6. f) Considers risks specific to vulnerable populations.

The organization shall ensure personnel have appropriate awareness, understanding, access to information, and channels for communicating about:

• The collection and use of their personal data;
• Related policies, procedures, roles, and responsibilities; and
• Their rights, including their rights to refuse or limit collection and use, where applicable.

The organization shall develop and implement effective management systems to meet or exceed the requirements and principles associated with Privacy throughout its operations and business relationships, including:

1. a) M1: Leadership Commitment, Involvement and Integration;
2. b) M2: Worker Involvement and Integration;
3. c) M3: Stakeholder Involvement and Integration;
4. d) M4: Policy Commitment and Coherence;
5. e) M5: Context, Impacts, and Risks;
6. f) M6: Objectives, Planning, and Resources;
7. g) M7: Awareness and Implementation;
8. h) M8: Integrity and Transparency;
9. i) M9: Monitoring and Grievance Mechanisms; and
10. j) M10: Strategic Analysis, Review and Continual Improvement.