Anglo American Responsible Supply Chain Award

Recognising companies that can demonstrate innovation and impact across their supply chain

Responsible Supply Chain Management is of critical strategic importance for companies and has additional magnitude in today's information society.  Many businesses rely on hundreds if not thousands of suppliers, leaving them exposed to a range of operational, legal and reputational risks.

A better integration of corporate responsibility issues into companies' sourcing policies, procurement processes, and supplier management is a way to more effectively manage risk that might arise in the supply chain.  It can also create new opportunities in terms of savings, innovation, supplier relations and broader competitive advantages, amongst others.

This award recognises best practice from companies, and inspires others to follow their lead. A successful entry will demonstrate the business case for responsible supply chain – in other words, it will show how integrating BITC’s Marketplace Responsibility Principles (actively manage responsibility in your supply chain, and treat suppliers as partners) can create business benefits for companies and suppliers, as well as positive impacts for wider stakeholders (communities, the environment, etc).

We are looking in particular for companies embedding corporate responsibility in mainstream supply chain management, across their whole business, or in specific projects relating to one or several main categories of purchase. Examples can include:

• Integration of corporate responsibility into mainstream supply chain strategy and core processes, from strategic sourcing analysis to suppliers screening, selection and monitoring
• Prevention of unethical practices in the supply chain, such as bribery and corruption
• Consideration of economic issues such as suppliers’ financial health and level of dependence when awarding a contract and negotiating terms and conditions
• Promotion of supplier diversity (i.e. working with under-represented groups)
• Support offered to suppliers to enhance their ownership of corporate responsibility and empower workers
• Collaboration with external stakeholders (e.g. government, trade-unions, NGOs, peers) to raise standards in the supply chain

To find out more on these issues and BITC Marketplace Responsibility Principles please visit www.bitc.org.uk/marketplace