Social Accountability International, RJC to Cooperate
May 22, 11To kick off the working relationship, the organizations will launch a supplier training program in
RJC and SAI have common goals of supporting achievement of social compliance and responsible business practices. The MOU will formalize SAI and RJC’s collaboration on:
- Industry Outreach: Joint promotion of responsible business practices to the jewelry supply chain.
- Training: Co-presentation of tailored training modules for companies seeking more detailed guidance on establishing systems and procedures for social compliance, featuring SAI’s Social Fingerprint™ Program and auditor training courses.
- Standards Harmonization: Initial comparative review of SA8000® and RJC Code of Practices identified significant overlap and opportunities to enhance alignment. The parties will work together in the context of RJC’s 2012 standards review.
“SAI is very happy to be entering into a MOU with the RJC. Both organizations share the goal of improving working conditions and labor standards throughout the world. We believe that collaboration with RJC will scale up our impact in the jewelry supply chain,” says Alice Tepper Marlin, SAI President.
”RJC shares SAI’s enthusiasm for this new relationship between our organizations. Working together towards our common goals will strengthen our collective efforts towards responsible business practices in the jewelry supply chain. We are looking forward to the collaboration and the benefits it can bring to RJC Members and more broadly,” says Michael Rae, RJC’s Chief Executive Officer.
SAI is an international, multi-stakeholder organization dedicated to promoting workers’ rights around the world. Its reach has grown throughout the world since its establishment in 1997. Its labor standard SA8000® is recognized as one of the most rigorous standards and the first one to integrate a management system requirement into a labor code. Currently there are over 1.4 million workers in 2,478 SA8000® certified facilities in 65 industries in 65 countries.
Numerous corporate, industry and government codes reference SA8000®. SAI is known for auditor, supplier, worker, labor inspector, and brand/retailer training and multi-stakeholder capacity-building programs that span the globe. SAI delivers those programs in partnerships with businesses, trade unions, governments and other NGOs. In 2010, SAI introduced Social Fingerprint™ - a program of ratings, training and tools designed to help companies measure and improve their social performance to any code or standard. The program leverages SAI’s long expertise in using the SA8000® management systems approach for supply chain management.
The RJC has grown rapidly to nearly 300 Members since it was founded by 14 companies and trade associations in 2005. RJC’s mission is to promote responsible business practices through the jewelry supply chain. The RJC’s standards programs include Member Certification against the Code of Practices, which is compulsory for RJC Members, and was launched in 2009; and a voluntary Chain-of-Custody Standard which is currently under development. A unique strength of RJC’s scope is that it covers the full jewelry supply chain, from mine to retail. This broad participation provides a platform for engaging in sector-wide issues ranging from social and ethical performance, conflict sources, to responsible mining.