Beyond adoption: SA8000 decertification in the food industry

Purpose This study examines decertification from the SA8000 standard in the food industry, focussing on how long firms remain certified and how the likelihood of decertification changes across certification renewal cycles, over time and between firms based in developed and developing countries. By shifting attention from adoption to the maintenance of certification, the study addresses an underexplored aspect of social accountability in the food industry. Design/methodology/approach The analysis draws on the complete Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) database covering a 25-year period and all food-industry firms that obtained SA8000 certification at least once since the issuance of the standard in 1997. The decertification rate is calculated as the proportion of firms that lost certification across the covariate levels considered. A Beta-binomial model estimated within a Bayesian inferential framework is used to test the three hypotheses. Findings The temporal analysis does not reveal a sustained decline in the likelihood of decertification, which remains relatively stable over the period examined. However, decertification remains relatively widespread. The likelihood of decertification is highest among food-industry firms with zero or one renewal, decreases after the second renewal, and becomes very low among firms completing three or more renewals. Firms based in developing countries also show a higher estimated likelihood of decertification than those based in developed countries. Originality/value This is the first study to analyse SA8000 decertification within a single industry using population-level data. By providing longitudinal, industry-specific evidence, this study complements the existing literature focused primarily on SA8000 adoption and contributes to research on certification-based standards, labour governance, and sustainability in food supply chains.