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The importance of responsible sourcing

Responsible sourcing is when a business ensures that they proactively source products and services ethically and sustainably, throughout each tier of the supply chain. At Sedex, we believe businesses can be leaders for making positive social and environmental impacts and improving the standard of working conditions for people working in global supply chains.

Consumers and investors are becoming increasingly mindful of the ethical creation and sustainability of a product and are more likely than ever before to invest in more socially sustainable goods and services. Companies have a responsibility to incorporate social, environmental and ethical operations in their business, taking responsibility for the entire life cycle of products and protect the rights of workers during the production process.

The complexity of multi-tiered supply chains can make it difficult for companies to be aware of or understand the potential risks that may be affecting their business and their suppliers. To source responsibly, a business needs to be able to trace a product or service through each stage of their supply chain, and work with their business and suppliers to ensure working conditions are fair, and environmental practices are sustainable.

Sedex supports companies to overcome the challenge of traceability, implement responsible business practices and manage risks. Using Sedex’s ethical data platform and our suite of tools and services allows businesses to share information quickly and efficiently, prioritise resources and produce action plans to deliver the greatest impact.

Read more about the key drivers of responsible sourcing.