Company News
SA 8000:2014 – Transition Guidance for ABS-QE Clients
May 8, 2017
This notification outlines the timeline and process for organizations to transition to SA8000:2014. It is applicable for organizations that are currently certified to SA8000:2008, as well as organizations seeking initial certification to SA8000:2014. SAI has extended the deadline for completed the SA8000:2014 transition process.
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| June 2014 | SA8000:2014 was revised and published by SAI. It incorporates minor changes to several elements, as well as the expansion and clarification of requirements in other elements |
| September 2015 | SAI to release the SA8000:2014 Guidance Document and Social Fingerprint Self- Assessment and SAAS to release Procedure 200:2015 and Procedure 201A and 201B:2015. |
| April 1, 2016 | Deadline: As of this date, all SA8000 certification audits of new clients SHALL be to SA8000:2014. |
| June 30, 2017 | Deadline: As of this date, ALL SA8000 certified organizations SHALL have transitioned to SA8000:2014 and any existing SA8000:2008 certificates SHALL be invalid. Client must complete the Social Fingerprint® Self-Assessment. |
| September 30, 2017 | Client must complete the Transition Audit by September 30th, 2017 |
ABS-QE will assess the certified clients implementation of SA8000:2014 during an on-site transition audit which may be completed during normally scheduled certification, recertification and surveillance activities.
Social Fingerprint and the SA8000:2014 Certification Process:
- Beginning April 1, 2016, all audits of new clients to SA8000:2014 SHALL include Social Fingerprint.
- Currently certified organizations and new clients interested in certification to SA8000:2014 may take the Social Fingerprint Self-Assessment beginning September 2015. The Self-Assessment will be available via the SAI website.
- Organizations SHALL complete the Self-Assessment through the SAI online training center before the transition audit.
- SA8000 auditors SHALL conduct a Social Fingerprint Independent Evaluation at the following audits:
- The surveillance audit or recertification audit that serves as the transition audit to SA8000:2014.
- TWO additional audits in addition to the next recertification audit (timing is dependent on when the transition audit occurs in the certification cycle – see SAI website -www.saasaccreditation.org/document-library)