Method of acceptance sampling 

This proven method is widely used to decide whether or not to accept or reject a production lot without checking every single item of the lot. Performed on randomly-selected sample items, once the production lot has been completed and packed, this standard is recognized by every industrial company.

Acceptance sampling is not an alternative to process improvement. Instead it should complement improvement efforts by providing incentives. It also serves as a temporary measure for ensuring quality until successful improvements are made.

Alternatives

There are five possible alternatives to acceptance sampling:

• Release all lots without any Production Inspection,
• Discard all lots without any Production Inspection,
• 100% Production Inspection of all lots,
• Accept sample, reject discarded lots,
• Accept sample with 100% Production Inspection of rejected lots.

Focus on Acceptable Quality Levels

Inspect-China Quality Inspectors throughout Asia use the ISO 2859 tables (also known as AQL tables) to measure acceptable levels of quality of the Asian products they inspect. These tables are a US standard with equivalents in all national and international standardization organizations (ANSI/ASQC Z1.4, ISO 2859, NF06-022, BS 6001, DIN 40080).

Social accountability standards

Much like ISO 9000 for quality management and ISO 14000 for environmental management, the SA 8000 provides a set of standards for evaluating social accountability in the following areas:

Child labour: Companies may not support the use of child labor. The Social Accountability International (SAI) standard defines child labor as the work of "any person under 15 years of age, unless local minimum age law stipulates a higher age for work."

Forced Labour: Companies may not support the use of "forced labor."

Health and Safety: Companies must provide a safe and healthy working environment for their employees.

Freedom of Association and Right to collective Bargaining: Companies must respect the right of all employees to form and join trade unions of their choice and to bargain collectively.

Discrimination: Companies may not engage in or support discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, union membership, or political affiliation.

Disciplinary practices: Companies may not engage in or support the use of corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion or verbal abuse.

Working hours: Companies must comply with applicable laws and industry standards on working hours.

Compensation: Companies must ensure that wages paid for a standard working week meet at least legal or industry minimum standards.

Management systems: Top management must define the company's policy for social accountability and labor conditions to ensure that it includes a commitment to conform to all requirements of this standard and national and other applicable laws.