SA8000 for the ideological and political work of college logistics entities

In recent years, the internal and external conditions of ideological and political work in the logistics entities of colleges and universities in my country have undergone major and profound changes. Facing the new situation, ideological and political workers in logistics must hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", and under the guidance of the scientific outlook on development, actively explore new ideological and political work models and methods, make new theoretical responses and practical answers to new problems, provide new strategies for the development of enterprises, and further improve the ideological and political work of cadres and employees, including temporary laborers. For this reason, SA8000 cannot be ignored.

1. What is SA8000

SA8000, or "Social Accountability Standard", is the English abbreviation of Social Accountability 8000, and is the world's first international standard for ethical standards. SA8000 stipulates the responsibilities that companies must bear to society and stakeholders, and sets minimum requirements for specific issues such as working environment, employee health and safety, employee training, compensation, and trade union rights. For example, it prohibits the employment of child labor and must eliminate gender or racial discrimination. In addition, it also actively encourages relevant non-governmental organizations (Non-Governmental Organizations) to play an active role in the verification process. SA8000 also has management system and continuous improvement requirements, and has a set of international standards audited by third-party certification bodies. SA8000 is an action initiated by SAI (Social Accountability International), a subsidiary organization of Council on Economic Priorities (CEP for short). SAI is also the only international unified certification body.

SA8000 is based on the requirements of the International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN convention on the Rights of the Child, and is based on systematic management. It developed along with the Western corporate social responsibility movement that originated in the late 20th century. In December 2001, SAI released the first revised version: SA8000: 2001.
Although SA8000 has not yet been converted into an ISO standard, it has been internationally recognized and, more importantly, is attracting widespread attention and enthusiasm from the global business community. Obviously, the social responsibility certification issued by an organization after a comprehensive and independent audit by a certification body will be the most effective recognition of the organization's ethical behavior and social responsibility management capabilities.

2. SA8000 and Ideological and Political Work in University Logistics Entities

We believe that the relationship between SA8000 and the ideological and political work of logistics entities is a complementary and mutually reinforcing one.

First, the purpose of SA8000 is basically consistent with many goals of ideological and political work in the logistics entities of universities. Ideological and political work advocates moral norms, and many contents of SA8000 require enterprises to pay attention to social ethics, such as prohibiting the use of child labor; ideological and political work publicizes the rule of law and advocates the rule of law, while SA8000 regards enterprises' compliance with relevant social laws and regulations as its important purpose. For example, all its contents are taken from the "International Labor Organization Convention", "United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child", "United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women", etc.; ideological and political work advocates people-oriented and cares about the health and safety of the workers, while SA8000 stipulates that enterprises must make commitments and take measures for the health and safety of employees, and provide a healthy and safe The ideological and political work advocates the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of employees in democracy, equality and freedom, while SA8000 takes the freedom to organize and join trade unions and the right to collective bargaining as important criteria, and stipulates that enterprises shall not discriminate on the basis of race, social status, nationality, disability, gender, fertility tendency, political faction, etc., and does not allow mental and physical oppression and verbal abuse; ideological and political work emphasizes both material and spiritual civilization, while SA8000 takes social moral responsibility as a new standard for regulating enterprises, which is undoubtedly a new measure to promote the construction of corporate spiritual civilization. Ideological and political work promotes "adhering to people-oriented, establishing a comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development concept, and promoting the comprehensive development of the economy, society and people", and the objective effect of the implementation of SA8000 should be similar to this, because it is conducive to promoting enterprises to pay attention to social morality and assume corresponding social responsibilities while paying attention to economic development, thus benefiting the comprehensive development of enterprises and even society and the comprehensive development of people, etc.

Second, SA8000 is conducive to strengthening the ideological and political work of college logistics entities. There are many leaders and managers of college logistics entities in my country who think that spiritual civilization construction and ideological and political work are "important in words, but not in reality". They always think that as long as the economic benefits are good, spiritual civilization construction or ideological and political education such as social moral responsibility are insignificant. They do not carry out spiritual civilization construction and ideological and political work. However, if the SA8000 standard is implemented in the future and officially becomes a global corporate social ethics certification standard, then things will not be like this. Because talking about morality, the rule of law, and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of employees are not optional, but must be done. If you do not attach importance to or do not work hard to follow the social moral responsibility standard such as SA8000, you will not get this new pass to enter the market, you will lose the trust of customers, you will not be able to participate in new market development, and the school may also abandon it (because it is outdated), so the enterprise will naturally not survive. SA8000 is conducive to enhancing the effectiveness of the ideological and political work of enterprises. This is because the main purpose of ideological and political work is to improve the ideological and political awareness of employees, and the cultivation of awareness is closely related to the company's rules and regulations and the actual environment. Once the SA8000 standard is implemented in the enterprise, it will inevitably regulate and influence the thoughts and behaviors of enterprise managers and employees from the system and the actual environment, so that their sense of social moral responsibility, legal awareness, democratic awareness, equality awareness, etc. will be continuously strengthened, thus playing the same role as ideological and political work, that is, improving the ideological and political awareness of enterprise managers and employees.

Third, the ideological and political work of logistics entities is also conducive to the implementation of SA8000 certification standards in enterprises. The reason is simple. Any enterprise management behavior involves people, and people's behavior is dominated by thoughts. Only when enterprise leaders, managers and employees recognize SA8000 as a social moral responsibility standard in their thoughts can they accept it and then smoothly implement it in the enterprise. Logistics reform is essentially about changing people's thoughts. At present, it can be said that most logistics entities in my country have not yet recognized SA8000. As the ideological and political work of logistics entities in colleges and universities, we must carry forward the tradition of pioneering the trend, timely publicize and introduce the basic knowledge of SA8000 to the cadres and employees of logistics entities, and try to combine it with the enterprise reform of establishing a modern enterprise system, with the spiritual civilization construction of the enterprise, and with the corporate culture construction of the enterprise. Through propaganda and ideological work, logistics entities should be made aware of the importance and urgency of implementing the SA8000 standard in enterprises. If we do not work in the direction indicated by SA8000, we will lose the competitiveness of enterprises in the market. Therefore, enterprises should plan ahead and make preparations early. The implementation of SA8000 standards may increase the operating costs of enterprises, such as the time cost of evaluating the current status of enterprises, formulating system principles and procedures, controlling and recording, the cost of taking improvement or remedial measures, the cost of certification review and ongoing control and supervision review, etc. However, these costs are extremely small compared to the good image of corporate social moral responsibility obtained after obtaining SA8000 certification. Because just as the ISO9000 quality system certification leads to users' trust in the quality of the enterprise's products, the SA8000 certification will also make users trust the good social moral level of the enterprise, which will not only make the employees feel proud and honored to work in the enterprise, but also attract more talents to work in the enterprise, thus creating better conditions for the healthy development of the enterprise.

3. The significance of SA8000 to the logistics entities of Chinese universities

The logistics entities of Chinese universities (especially those of medium size and above) are basically large employers. They employ a large number of workers not only in property services, but also in subordinate enterprises. Although the logistics entities of universities attach great importance to complying with labor laws and regulations and caring for employees, as the self-protection awareness and legal awareness of labor personnel continue to increase, the implicit employment risks have gradually become a sharp contradiction. SA8000 will effectively prevent employment risks.

The logistics entity always adheres to the name of "teaching", always serves the overall interests of the school, and always emphasizes the fulfillment of social responsibilities. It is a responsible enterprise. The greatest social responsibility is to continue to deepen the social reform of logistics, maintain the stability of school logistics, and ensure the development of various school undertakings. SA8000 will play a positive role in promoting the realization of our social responsibility.

Many university logistics entities have passed the ISO series of certifications. As my country's integration with the international community deepens, it will be a general trend to carry out SA8000 certification or promote work in accordance with its spirit, which will also greatly promote better fulfillment of social responsibilities and promote sustainable development of enterprises. Many export-oriented enterprises (especially labor-intensive ones) have encountered trade barriers and product rejections due to failure to pass SA8000 or corresponding labor standards. Although they are not product-producing enterprises (logistics is a labor-intensive service enterprise), they are very likely to encounter the embarrassment of service rejection in the future. Relying on the advanced cultural position of universities, it is completely necessary for logistics entities to be familiar with the relevant connotations of SA8000, first understand and apply its spirit, plan ahead, and be one step ahead of others, and carry out certification at the appropriate time.

4. University logistics entities should actively use SA8000 to build harmonious enterprises and cultivate and develop corporate culture

Colleges and universities have entrusted logistics services to logistics entities, which is a great trust in us. We must, under the guidance of the scientific outlook on development, follow the relevant standards proposed by SA8000, combine the actual situation of the region and colleges and universities to effectively carry out ideological and political work, strive to build a harmonious enterprise, and ensure the stability and harmony of logistics entities, so as to ensure the stability of school logistics from the root.

For an enterprise to develop, harmony is the key to making money. We must consciously create a harmonious atmosphere within the logistics entity, care for and love people from a system perspective, and create favorable conditions for the growth and development of cadres and employees.

Party organizations, youth league organizations, trade union organizations, etc. should focus on the overall development of schools and logistics entities, actively carry out the construction of a "harmonious enterprise", strive to resolve various contradictions, bring the hearts of cadres and employees together, and work hard for common goals.

The logistics group of a university in Suzhou has made useful attempts and positive explorations in building a "harmonious enterprise" and promoting a "harmonious campus". The group leaders care about the material and cultural life of cadres and employees. In order to create a relaxed, harmonious and positive working atmosphere, the ideological and political staff of the group created popular songs such as "I Add Bricks and Tiles to Logistics (Song of Logistics Employees)", "Three Requirements and Eight Disciplines", and "Cleaning Returns", which are well received by cadres and employees and widely sung. Our labor service personnel proudly said: "We are singing while working!" Everyone was enthusiastic and in a good mood. The song made everyone remember the labor discipline, work system, corporate culture, core values, good style, etc., vented negative emotions, condensed people's hearts, and improved fighting spirit, playing a very good role. Now most modern large enterprises have a song as their corporate song and as the living soul of corporate culture. With the "big tree" of colleges and universities as their backs, the logistics entities of universities can create a more brilliant corporate culture.

The corporate culture of university logistics is in a period of active formation and development, and the content of SA8000 is an important aspect of corporate culture construction. Our logistics entity insists on people-oriented, that is, insisting that the development of the enterprise depends on the masses, everything is for the masses, and the development results are shared by the masses. Only by condensing this spiritual connotation into the core value of the enterprise can we fundamentally mobilize the enthusiasm and initiative of cadres and employees, maximize the creation of value and development of the enterprise, and truly organically unify everyone's personal value realization with the realization of corporate value.