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I
n today’s climate,
talking the
walk
and
walking the talk
in procurement are not just
buzzwords. They are a very
real business approach and
strategy, for which companies
are increasingly being put under
pressure to demonstrate within
their operations, in partnerships
and with the various suppliers
they work with, and throughout
their global supply chains.
Procurement provides an
immense opportunity for
businesses to highlight their
“right” credentials, while
demonstrating their seriousness
and commitment to changing
their way of working. Ultimately,
they know and understand that
the “right” approach can achieve
positive social impact on people
and the planet while delivering
a competitive advantage that
results in growth, profits and
increased shareholder returns.
Doing the “right thing” makes
absolute business sense. From
embedding ethical business
practices and ensuring there is
diversity and inclusion in workforce
and suppliers, to carrying out
risk and compliance audits with
appropriate follow-up processes,
and embracing sustainability,
businesses can create positive
change to deliver real value
throughout the global supply chain
while safeguarding people, profits
and the planet we inhabit.
Ethical And Responsible
The global supply chain
does not function in a vacuum.
By making supply chains
ethical and responsible,
businesses consciously own the
management of the economic,
environmental and social
challenges they encounter, while
exerting purchasing power to
effect positive change. They do
this while retaining an ethical,
respectful and fair approach
and by collaborating and
building strong and transparent
relationships and partnerships
with their suppliers.
Over the past few decades, we
have seen a visible change take
place in supply chains. While
outsourcing, cost mitigation,
globalization and technology
have brought the world
closer and created the global
manufacturing village, concepts
such as corporate citizenship,
social responsibilities, ethical
business practices, sustainability
and circular economies have
gained strength as many
multinationals embraced them.
What drove this commitment was
the realization that the supply
chain cannot be divorced from
corporate social responsibility.
Neither can the industry ignore
concerns about the environment,
ethical business practices, and
health and safety compliance.
All these issues, including
the business risks facing
global brands, the reliance by
purchasing departments on
incessant and expensive audits
People,
Planet
And Profit
The Role Of Procurement
In DoingThe Right Thing
by
Gill Thorpe, FCIPS
54
|
SEPTEMBER 2016
|
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