Preparing for Tomorrow
CHAPTER 2: DIRECTION
Our Supplier Code of Conduct. The most boring document we have. But to be fair, the outcome is super exciting!
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We're in this for the long run. Literally. Our owner calls it an eternity perspective. It calls for a strategy to get things right, for people, for the planet and for our business, every single day.
That's why this document exists. Our Supplier Code of Conduct sets out where we stand, what we commit to, and what we expect. From suppliers and partners, as well as from our own team members and merchants. Not as a formality. As a practical tool for making decisions, assessing risks, and setting priorities.
Sound business decisions require us to look at the big picture. But we're not here to lecture and we certainly don't have all the answers. What we do know though, is that our biggest impact comes from the products we sell, and the way they are sourced and produced. Our whole business builds on the relationship with our customers and suppliers. Our Supplier Code of Conduct is where we start. It’s built on the fact that the challenges our industry faces are too complex for any one company to solve alone.
Let's figure it out together. Read the whole document here!
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To be honest. Back in 2021, sustainability wasn't embedded in how we ran our business. We cared, but we didn't know enough. Our understanding of our products was limited, visibility across our supply chains was even more limited, and the data we had was fragmented across seven organisations.
The more we learned, the harder it became to ignore a simple fact: if we wanted to build a business fit for the future, sustainability couldn't remain a side project. It had to become part of every important business decision.
So, we decided to change course.
Today it’s a different story. We now have data covering 94 percent of our assortment, and one shared knowledge-platform across our business. It might not sound remarkable at first. But behind that number lies knowledge about countless products, ingredients and supply chain decisions. Knowledge, of course, changes very little on its own. What matters is what you do with it.
For us, it has become the foundation for reshaping our assortment, improving existing products and making better decisions. Our Supplier Code of Conduct has been instrumental in making that possible. Here we describe clearly what we expect of our suppliers, today and in the future. It consists of two parts
1. The baseline
Some expectations cannot be negotiable. Respect for human rights. Fair working conditions. Zero tolerance for corruption. Respect for the environment. Internationally recognised standards already exist for these. Meeting them isn't about exceeding expectations. It's where responsible business begins, the baseline.
2. The risk commodities
And, some issues demand more than a baseline. Certain ingredients and raw materials in our assortment have a disproportionate impact on people, animals and the planet. For us, these include palm oil, cocoa, coffee, tea, soy, animal protein, and selected fruits and nuts. For these commodities, meeting the minimum isn't enough. We believe they require greater transparency, higher standards and continuous improvement. That's the direction we're taking, and we hope our suppliers will take it with us.
A short story to a long list
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