SA8000:2026 - the SA8000® Standard for Decent Work - is an international standard published by Social Accountability International (SAI) to help organizations respect human rights at work and provide fair, safe and dignified working conditions. This fifth edition was published on 1 January 2026, replacing SA8000:2014, and continues to draw on foundational instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ILO's fundamental conventions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other relevant international standards.

SA8000:2026 more explicitly integrates the “Protect, Respect and Remedy” framework of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD due-diligence approach. Rather than focusing only on workers directly employed by the organization, the management system must consider actual and potential adverse impacts that the organization causes, contributes to or is directly linked to through its operations and business relationships.

The Standard can be applied to many types and sizes of organizations and industries, subject to the applicable certification scope, eligibility conditions and exclusions established by SAI/SAAS. SA8000:2026 combines requirements for governance, human rights due diligence and decent-work outcomes, emphasizing meaningful participation by leadership, workers and stakeholders, as well as transparency, grievance mechanisms, remedy and continual improvement.

The structure and principal areas of SA8000:2026 include:

• Foundational Criteria F1-F5: Respecting the principles of the Standard; meeting applicable legal and regulatory requirements, collective bargaining agreements and related commitments; applying the provision most favorable to personnel where requirements differ; and managing conflicts to the extent permitted by law.
• Management System M1-M10: Covering leadership commitment; worker and stakeholder involvement; policy; context, impacts and risks; objectives and resources; awareness and implementation; integrity and transparency; monitoring and grievance mechanisms; strategic analysis, review and continual improvement.
• Risk-based human rights due diligence: Identifying, assessing and prioritizing risks according to severity and likelihood; taking measures to cease, prevent, mitigate, track, communicate and remedy impacts in a manner appropriate to the organization's responsibility.
• D1 - Protection of children and young workers: Preventing child labor and protecting the rights of children and young workers to education, development, health, safety and participation where work is legally permitted.
• D2 and D3 - Labor rights and fair employment relationships: Safeguarding freedom of association and collective bargaining, and ensuring free, transparent and fair recruitment, employment and termination without forced labor, harassment, intimidation, abuse or retaliation.
• D4 - Decent hours, wages and benefits: Managing work schedules, rest, overtime, wages, a decent standard of living, benefits, deductions and alternative employment arrangements in accordance with legal and Standard requirements.
• D5 and D6 - Freedom from discrimination, health and safety: Ensuring equal opportunity and treatment; identifying hazards, assessing risks, preventing occupational injuries and ill health, preparing for emergencies and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.
• D7 - Privacy: Controlling the collection, use, retention, sharing and monitoring of personnel data in a lawful, necessary, transparent, secure and non-discriminatory manner.

Compared with the 2014 edition, SA8000:2026 makes a significant shift toward an outcomes-based approach, clarifies responsibility throughout the value chain and organizes the management system in a more intuitive sequence that is better aligned with frameworks such as ISO Annex SL and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. Principles guide interpretation of the Standard's intent but are not independently auditable requirements; conformity is determined against the criteria.