SAI Newsletter – August 2021
SAI Program News
Worker and community engagement initiatives combat forced and child labor in Latin American palm oil industry
Updates on Palma Futuro Project in 2021
Despite the tumultuous past year for Palma Futuro, SAI has conducted remote baseline assessments, worker interviews, trainings, and worker and supplier surveys to make progress toward improved working conditions in the palm oil industry in Colombia and Ecuador. To help ensure worker-centric, sustainable improvements SAI is also engaging with local communities to understand how they are impacted by the palm oil industry and to support community action on labor rights. Read more.
Funding is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL-32820-18-75-K.
Improving Data and Coordination in the SA8000 system
SAI has introduced a new online search tool that makes it easy for anyone to search for SA8000-certified suppliers, confirm the validity of an SA8000 certificate, and see general system-wide data. This tool is supported by the SA8000 database, which launched in 2020 and is now the official platform for self-assessments and audits. To further support organizations pursuing certification, SAI is developing a program to bring new transparency and professionalism to social compliance consulting and capacity building activities. Read More.
Global Living Wage Coalition & Anker Institute
New Guidelines and Working Paper Series
The Anker Research Institute published two new papers on topics related to achieving decent wages for all:

Guidelines for Understanding Gender Pay Gaps Around the World is a guiding framework for measuring gendered gaps in pay and the determinants for those gaps.

Same Job, Different Wage for Migrants? debunks the common argument that wages can be much less for migrant workers with families left behind because of lower costs of living in their home countries. Read more.
New Living Wage and Living Income Reports
The Anker Research Institute and Global Living Wage Coalition also released several new living wage and living income reports over the last year. The Institute released:
SAI is the institutional host for the Anker Research Institute and is a co-founder and steering committee member for the GLWC.
Upcoming Workshops & Training Opportunities
Upcoming SA8000 Introduction and Basic Auditor Training Courses
August 23–27 | Remote - China (Chinese)
August 30–Sep. 3 | Shenzhen, China (Chinese)
August 30–Sep. 3 | Remote - Australia
September 6–10 | Remote - Pakistan
September 27–Oct. 1 | Remote - Europe
October 4–8 | Remote - Americas (Spanish)
November 22–26 | Remote - Italy (Italian)
Receive the latest news and learn about opportunities to get involved with SAI.