Indian local government office goes down SA8000 route

Distribution Network
Content
A local government office in the Medak district of Andhra Pradesh State, India, has gained SA8000 certification, the standard that assesses organizations on labour conditions, union rights and health and safety. The award is the first SA8000 certification of a governmental body in Asia.

One of the implications is that departments reporting to the Medak district office are told about SA8000 requirements and will be monitored on their progress in implementing them. The departments are regarded in the same way as suppliers to an SA8000-certified manufacturing or retailing enterprise and are treated in keeping with the standard’s emphasis on management systems and the checking of suppliers.

Y.S. Rajasekhara, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, encouraged all districts in the state to follow the example of Medak, which has a 2.5 million population and is about 60 miles north of Hyderabad. Rajasekhara said his government would ‘give utmost priority for good governance and speedy redressal of people’s grievances’.