Page 23 Supplier relationships
We work in partnership with a worldwide network of 3,300 suppliers in approximately 50 countries, which enables us to offer our customers around 350,000 product lines. These relationships also help customers to have trust in how our products are produced and sourced, and confidence that everyone who works to supply them is treated fairly. To do that, our suppliers work with us not for us as partners, and together, we maintain mutually beneficial relationships that help them and their suppliers, agents and distributors to create responsible businesses that provide sustainable employment.
Supplier relationships
Ambition
To trade fairly, ensuring everyone in our supply chain is treated with honesty, fairness and respect.
Targets
>Train all buyers on the Responsible Sourcing Code and supplier assessment programme
>Continue to ensure that all own-brand suppliers are registered on Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange), complete a labour standards self-assessment and high-priority suppliers are independently audited Improving labour standards
Our relationship with our suppliers is built on honesty, fairness and mutual respect, and our commitment to responsible sourcing is engrained in our Constitution. We aim to uphold internationally agreed standards of labour, and we expect our suppliers to respect the rights and wellbeing of their employees, support their communities, protect the natural environment and promote high standards of animal welfare.
We have a set of Responsible Sourcing principles and a Partnershipwide Code of Practice. Our Code, which has been translated into nine different languages, sets out our expectations of suppliers, and covers such issues as pay and benefits, working hours, working conditions and health and safety, the use of forced, bonded or child labour, employee representation and worker associations, equality of treatment, respect for the environment and animal welfare. The Code is reviewed every year, and minor amendments last year included an additional clause requiring confidential mechanisms to allow workers to report any sub-standard practices or mistreatment.
Our aim is to encourage suppliers to be honest about the issues they face and share best practice so that we can work together to make realistic, long-term improvements. To this end, own-brand and exclusive suppliers must be assessed against the requirements of our Responsible Sourcing Code of Practice and provide annual confirmation of continued commitment to meeting its terms.
More information and detailed data can be found on
www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk
See the Waitrose CSR report for more information on our sister company
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