How to Design a Supplier Code of Conduct for Supplier Qualification

May 4, 2021 EcoVadis EN

Suppliers’ sustainable business acumen is critical to the success and integrity of sustainable procurement. By developing and enforcing a Supplier Code of Conduct, procurement departments mitigate unwanted risk and support suppliers in maintaining a high level of sustainability integrity. 

Following are important components of a Supplier Code of Conduct: 

  • Systematic coverage across all business units and categories,
  • Mandatory supplier self-assessment questionnaire,
  • Supplier registration process is consolidated in a centralized database and system is linked to sourcing, procure-to-pay and risk modules,
  • Complete qualification and due diligence process in place covering all supplier risk and quality aspects against clear internal quality requirements and external standards e.g. industry specific ISO certifications,
  • Sustainability fields and data points are mandatory and detailed documentation and proof is requested,
  • A dedicated and empowered team is in charge of the validation,
  • Absence or incompleteness of sustainability data points blocks the supplier validation and disables the creation of purchase orders. 
To learn more about defining a clear code of conduct for your suppliers, visit the EcoVadis Academy.

About the Author

EcoVadis EN

EcoVadis is a purpose-driven company whose mission is to provide the world's most trusted business sustainability ratings. Businesses of all sizes rely on EcoVadis’ expert intelligence and evidence-based ratings to manage risk and compliance, drive decarbonization, and improve the sustainability performance of their business and value chain. Its AI-powered risk mapping, actionable scorecards, benchmarks, carbon action tools, and insights guide a resilience and improvement journey for environmental, social and ethical practices across 200 industry categories and 175 countries.

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