Yiwu Standards and Yiwu most socially responsible enterprises

Yiwu Standards and Yiwu most socially responsible enterprises 
China Amanda (China Wholesale) reports: The “Yiwu standards” for corporate social responsibility fall into three categories of 15 items: labor relations, social relations and natural relations, involving third-level indicators in 57 respects. 
At the summing-up and commendatory meeting on the afternoon of May 22, 56 of the first 92 enterprises above the designated size involved in the pilot were awarded for having been certificated, and 14 were honored as “Yiwu’s most socially responsible enterprises”. 
Foster first regional famous brand in area of global social responsibility 
The evaluation and certification of all SA8000 standards prevailing in European and American countries revolves around labor relations, and thinks little of resources and environment. However, the evaluation and certification by the “Yiwu standards” lays emphasis on labor relations, natural relations and social relations, with the aim of incorporating corporate social responsibility into the standardized public management channel and advancing the transformation of social responsibility from corporate “self-discipline” to “social restraint”. 
“We are committed to developing the “Yiwu standards” into a compulsory certification brand for Yiwu’s products like “green food” in the food industry and “CCC” in the household appliance industry.” A leader of the municipal federation of trade unions said that a logo of Yiwu for the most socially responsible enterprises will be worked out when the conditions are ripe, and the “Yiwu standards” will become the first regional brand in the area of global social responsibility as popular as Yiwu’s famous trademarks in three to five years. 
Sacrificing social responsibility for cost reduction may also lead to order loss 
With the fast growth of economic globalization and international trade, corporate social responsibility has attracted more and more attention. Labor-intensive and export-oriented enterprises are in the majority in the city. It was discovered from the survey that Yiwu’s enterprises in the global supply chain will be severely “challenged” by the standards for the corporate social responsibility of multinational companies in developed countries. 
“For these enterprises to be “challenged”, the greatest impact is inspection of social responsibility, followed by certification of social responsibility standards” Prof. Yao Xianguo, dean of College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University, introduced. Massive cases have taken a toll on Yiwu’s enterprises: not reducing cost may lead to order loss; but sacrificing social responsibility for excessively reducing cost may bring about the same consequence. 
In view of that, in May 2008, the municipal federation of trade unions, in cooperation with Center for Labor Economics & Public Policies Studies, Zhejiang University, released the “system for evaluation and certification of Yiwu standards for corporate social responsibility” in light of the city’s characteristics such as the large number of export enterprises and migrant workers, and early piloted it in the industrial functional area of Beiyuan Neighborhood in September the same year. 
Evaluation and certification in five grades
Different grades, different “benefits” 
The “Yiwu standards” for corporate social responsibility fall into three categories of 15 items: labor relations, social relations and natural relations, involving third-level indicators in 57 respects. 
During evaluation and certification, an enterprise provides relevant materials; followed by examination by the Yiwu Municipal Committee on Evaluation and Certification of Corporate Social Responsibility as well as evaluation and certification by the third party.