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Social Accountability International Named Policy Leader on the 2004 Scientific American 50

Social Accountability International Named Policy Leader on the 2004 Scientific American 50

Published 11-10-04

Submitted by Social Accountability International

NEW YORK - SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL (SAI) has been recognized by Scientific American magazine as a policy leader on the 2004 Scientific American 50 - the magazine's prestigious annual list honoring outstanding acts of leadership in science and technology from the past year.

SAI was named POLICY LEADER IN MANUFACTURING because of its worldwide work engaging companies to adopt voluntary measures that help guarantee decent working conditions. Using the SA8000 voluntary standard as a model, SAI trained factories in China and Vietnam to implement processes and sustain improvements in social compliance. SAI and its partners also developed a multistakeholder alliance in Central America to address the impact of the end of the quota system on the textile and garment sector. Through these initiatives, SAI enlisted international brands such as Timberland, Gap, and Toys "R" Us to encourage program participation by their suppliers and to link economic incentives to achieving social goals.

Alice Tepper Marlin, President of SAI, said "We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to improve working conditions throughout the global supply chain, and to be named as Policy Leader of the Scientific American 50, with its singular stature in the world of science and technology."

Selected by the magazine's Board of Editors with the help of distinguished outside advisors, the Scientific American 50 spotlights a Research Leader of the Year, a Business Leader of the Year and a Policy Leader of the Year. The list also recognizes research, business and policy leaders in various technological categories including Agriculture, Chemicals & Materials, Communications, Computing, Energy, Environment, Medical Treatments and more.

Past Scientific American 50 winners for 2002 and 2003 have included Roderick MacKinnon, Professor of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics (2003 Research Leader of the Year, as well as winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize for Chemistry); Burt Rutan, President, Scaled Composites (2003 Aerospace/Business Leader): Gro Harlem Brundtland, former World Health Organization Secretary General (2003 Policy Leader of the Year); Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman and CEO, General Electric Company (2002 General Technology/Business Leader); and Steven Jobs, CEO, Apple (2002 Communications/Business Leader).

Said Editor-In-Chief John Rennie: "Scientific American believes strongly that the best hope for a safer, healthier, more prosperous world rests in the enlightened use of technology. The Scientific American 50 is our annual opportunity to salute the people and organizations making that possible through their outstanding efforts as leaders of research, industry and policymaking."

The Scientific American 50 appears in the magazine's December issue, arriving on newsstands November 23. The complete list may also be accessed on the magazine's website at www.sciam.com. Scientific American 50 winners will be honored November 16 at a celebration taking place at the New York Academy of Sciences in New York City.

Social Accountability International (SAI): SAI is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to improving workplaces and communities by developing and implementing socially responsible standards. In 1996, SAI's multi-stakeholder Advisory Board developed Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000), a voluntary standard for workplaces based on International Labour Organization and other human rights conventions. Its independent verification system draws many key elements from the widely accepted quality management system certification in the ISO programs. Businesses in more than 40 countries and in 44 industries are now certified to the SA8000 standard. Thousands more have begun implementing SA8000 and are working towards full compliance.

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Social Accountability International

Social Accountability International

Founded in 1997, Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization with a mission to advance human rights at work. SAI’s vision is of decent work everywhere—sustained by an understanding that socially responsible workplaces benefit business while securing fundamental human rights. SAI empowers workers and managers at all levels of businesses and supply chains, using its multi-industry SA8000® Standard, as well as Social Fingerprint®, TenSquared, and other training and capacity-building programs. SAI is a leader in policy and implementation, working together with a diverse group of stakeholders, including brands, suppliers, governments, trade unions, non-profits, and academia.

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