Social Accountability International's Newsletter - April 2013

SAI Response: Rana Plaza Building Collapse in Bangladesh

This tragedy underscores broader infrastructure risks faced by workers everyday

Human Rights Training Draws on Past Experiences
Interview with SAI Lead Trainer Sanjiv Singh on his early tea plantation experience and its impact on his work to train for human rights at work

The UN Guiding Principles in Nicaraguan Agriculture
Interview with Yolanda Brenes | 'Pillars in Practice' Project Sustains Progress of Previous Initiatives

Call for Suppliers: Brazil Worker Engagement Program
SAI invites São Paulo factories to join the Worker Engagement Program to improve health & safety systems

SA8000 Standard & Guidance Document Revision 
The SA8000 Standard & Guidance revision will provide considerably more specifics on fire safety

Promoting Gender Equity in India's Garment Sector
Over 450 individuals from over 200 garment factories trained through SAI's RAGS Project in India

How Companies Can Implement the UN Guiding Principles for Business & Human Rights
This two-day training event aims to demonstrate how companies can transform principles to practice

Spotlight: SA8000 Certified Rug Company Kaleen 
Rug News & Design Magazine Profiles Kaleen's Commitment to Social Responsibility

SA8000 Auditor Training in Lisbon
On April 15-19, 2013 SAI convened a Basic SA8000 Auditor Training course in Lisbon, Portugal

SA8000 Field Auditor Calibration Meeting: Vietnam
On March 21, 2013, Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) convened an SA8000 field auditor calibration meeting in Ho Chi Minh City

Highlights & Announcements

• Reducing Child Labor and Forced Labor in Global Supply Chains On April 11, the U.S. Department of Labor hosted a free panel discussion that was streamed live online from Washington D.C. SAI Advisory Board member Bob Mitchell from Hewlett Packard was one of the panelists. One of the items discussed was the USDOL's toolkit for responsible business. Check out the toolkit at http://1.usa.gov/SABo0f and a recap of the discussion at - http://bit.ly/YE4r0x.
• Ashoka Future Forum SAI President Alice Tepper Marlin is a Founding Member of the Ashoka Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship. On May 30-31, Ashoka will hosts its Future Forum in Washington D.C.- learn more: http://bit.ly/Ze5sB4
• SAI President Interviewed in India's Textile Excellence Magazine The interview put out a call to all stakeholders in the garment industry to participate in SAI's SA8000 Standard revision. Read the article: http://bit.ly/12ygFfu.
• Corporate Branding & CSR This Spring 2013, SAI President Alice Tepper Marlin co-teaches a course at the NYU Stern School of Business with NYU Professor Bruce Buchanan. Representatives from SAI Corporate Programs member companies and experts in the sustainability and human rights field are among the guest lecturers: Amy Hall EILEEN FISHER; Laura Rubbo, Disney; Mike Posner, former head of the U.S. State Dept. - DRL; and Jeffrey Hollander, founder of Seventh Generation. Check out the syllabus - http://bit.ly/11ucNKj.