Our Responsible Sourcing Programme enables us to share information with our suppliers, and to check workplace practices such as worker age, working hours, production processes, pay scales and onsite facilities such as housing and recreation.
We communicate our Responsible Sourcing Code to suppliers, monitor how our suppliers are meeting our expectations, and, where problems occur, help suppliers to improve. Both John Lewis and Waitrose train Partners on responsible sourcing to support their daily relationships with suppliers.
All John Lewis and Waitrose own-brand suppliers are required to register on Sedex (the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange: www.sedex.org.uk) - a web-based database to manage ethical and responsible practices within global supply chains. These suppliers must complete relevant self-assessment questionnaires so that we can assess labour standards and working practices at their sites; high-priority sites are also independently audited. View Responsible Sourcing data.
Through our Responsible Sourcing Programme we aim to raise awareness of the issues, share best practice and generate feedback so that by working together, we and our suppliers can raise standards in the supply chain.
Working with others
We actively work with others to improve our supply chain working conditions:
- In June 2011, the Partnership joined the Ethical Trading Initiative (www.ethicaltrade.org), which aims to improve the lives of workers internationally through an alliance of companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations.The ETI focuses on workers across the globe who make or grow consumer goods. It builds alliances in key sourcing countries and internationally, to address problems that occur not only in individual workplaces, but also affect entire countries and industries. Member organisations must adopt the ETI Base Code, a code of labour practice derived from the Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
- Waitrose supported the launch of the Supermarkets and Suppliers' Protocol with the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in March 2010. We are also continuing to work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, following its inquiry into recruitment and employment in the UK meat and poultry processing sector.
- Working with the ethical trade organisation Impactt and other food retailers, Waitrose has commissioned an online Ethical Handbook for UK Growers (www.ethicalgrowers.org.uk). It provides advice on wages, working hours, young workers and collective bargaining, helping growers’ to understand UK employment law so they can meet their legal and ethical obligations.
- In 2010, John Lewis continued to develop its Responsible Sourcing programme through Sedex and its new audit and compliance partner. We are devising ongoing improvement programmes and have issued a John Lewis Responsible Sourcing Handbook to suppliers.
- We have worked with the Sedex Associate Auditors group to produce a common audit methodology to make it easier for suppliers to share audit reports through Sedex and prevent the burden of multiple audits.