Your suppliers are your partners and have a significant influence on the sustainability of your products and services and therefore the issues and risks that you face. Supply chain management means working together – as partners – to manage these issues and also create new opportunities.

Suppliers are often seen as an extension to your company. Many stakeholders expect suppliers (business partners) to uphold your values, policies and procedures, while you rely on suppliers to deliver their products and services responsibly. Either way it is your reputation that is at risk.

But reputation is only one driver. Reduced cost, resource efficiency, improved supplier relationships and a better product or service are all reasons why you should extend your corporate responsibility programme into your supply chain.

This can be done in many ways: by setting limits or criteria which your suppliers must adhere to, or working with your supply chain partners to improve understanding, enabling them to respond to corporate responsibility in a way that is best for their company – and yours. Many leading companies use a combination of limits, guidance and training.

Entec can help you to develop and implement a supply chain strategy. We can review your existing supplier base, identify risk areas and help you to develop the best approach to managing these risks for your company.

We can:

• Advise on supply chain policies and codes of conduct
• Undertake supplier inventories and review areas of risk
• Help to develop procurement policies and procedures
• Implement social accountability systems for supply chain management such as SA 8000
• Help to educate your supply chain, through workshops, guides or events
• Assess supply chain performance, through measurement, questionnaires and audits
  

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