Set Of Vendor Expectations

In 2008, we began sharing, and measuring compliance with, our Set of Vendor Expectations, a set of guidelines that outlines what we expect of our vendors regarding overall legal compliance, labor conditions (including child labor, wages and benefits, hours of work, freedom of association, discrimination and abuse, and health and safety), and environmental responsibility. For measuring compliance, we created a set of tools, including self-assessments, surveys, on-site assessments by GMCR staff, and commissioned audits of vendor facilities.

In FY ’09, we continued the development of our toolkit, orientation of key suppliers to our expectations, and the integration of these tools into our standard procurement procedures.

Our hope is that this level of engagement helps both us and our supply-chain partners on the path to becoming better citizens and more sustainable businesses.