The Ethical Procurement Journey

In 2005, the Corporation conducted a CSR-sharing session and survey with 30 of its major contractors and suppliers to establish the base from which procurement would be realistically undertaken according to socially responsible practices. Results indicated some knowledge of CSR principles with very little translating into practice. The value opportunity of developing shared CSR procurement procedures and influencing the behaviour of our contractors has resulted in a CSR principles questionnaire for tendering organisations, with a planned workshop in 2007 to benchmark and rate best practice. The new questionnaire also takes into consideration human rights factors in preparedness for our expanding emerging- markets operations. A separate mainland China workshop and a further questionnaire are under consideration to address issues specific to this market and to the growing international enquiry on the up and downstream impacts there of our operations.