Abacus and Social Accountability / SA8000:2008

Abacus is aware that public welfare and the issue of social responsibility are key aspects of its own service operations, partners and customers.
Abacus embraces the ethos and operational practices of SA8000:2008.
This is an international standard based on the eleven Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 
The mission of SA8000:2008 is to improve ethical working conditions globally with its verification system promoting continuous improvement of the working environment.
The SA8000 standard is a tool for implementing international labour standards and guides employers to consider the importance of each job and to recognize the equal dignity of each person involved in the supply chain - from the worker to the retailer to the consumer.
Abacus is wholeheartedly committed to the ILO declaration that:

• Labour is not a commodity.
• Poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity everywhere.
• All human beings, irrespective of race, creed or sex, have the right to pursue both their material well being and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security and equal opportunity.
• Freedom of expression and of association are essential to sustained progress.

Social Accountability International based in New York, has driven the development of SA8000:2008 to a position where it is a major international standard that defines a set of auditable standards and an independent compliance auditing process for the protection of workers’ rights and, in particular, the use of child labour.
In securing SA8000:2008, Abacus will be able to build on its well established Ethical Worker Sourcing and Supply Policy to:

• develop, maintain and encourage Ethical Worker policies and procedures in order to manage those issues which it can control or influence;
• demonstrate that policies, procedures and practices confirm to the requirements of the standard, and confirms it will comply with national and other applicable law