Procurement professionals are increasingly facing purchasing categories with complex supply chains that are not easily addressed by simple attributes-based contract specifications. Human rights and labor protections in particular are very hard to control through contracting, because an overlapping supply base often means that no individual company has complete control over a given supplier, and the number and the variety of suppliers presents an enormous challenge to one-size-fits all approaches. Taking the electronics industry as an example, this panel will look at how purchasers can best communicate requirements to support and build on work being done within complex industries to address human rights issues throughout the supply chain –  such as modern slavery and bonded labor, worker safety and health.

We’ll consider how purchasers can aggregate demand across brands and solicitations and leverage certifications and industry initiatives for highest impact, the degree to which industry collaboratives around specific issues can offer a focus for purchaser expectations, and how purchasers can use their contracting to encourage participation in such initiatives, and assess accountability against their goals.

Presenter Slides

CONTINUING EDUCATION CONTACT HOURS FOR ISM’S CPSM AND CPSD PROGRAMS AND  UPPCC’S CPPO AND CPPB PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED FOR ALL CONCURRENT SESSIONS. CONCURRENT SESSIONS QUALIFY FOR 1 CONTINUING EDUCATION CONTACT HOUR.