Supplier Code of Conduct Development

A Supplier Code of Conduct is a document that sets out the minimum standards of environmental, social, ethical, and governance conduct that an organisation expects of its suppliers and supply chain partners — covering areas such as labour standards, human rights, health and safety, environmental management, anti-corruption, and business integrity. Developing an effective Supplier Code of Conduct requires a thorough understanding of the ESG risks present in the organisation's supply chain, the applicable international standards and buyer requirements that must be reflected in the code, the legal and cultural context of key supplier geographies, and the organisation's own values and commitments.

The code must be practical, clear, and enforceable — providing suppliers with unambiguous guidance on what is expected and the consequences of non-compliance.

EGSS develops supplier codes of conduct that are grounded in international best practice — aligned with ILO Core Conventions, UN Guiding Principles, and applicable sector standards — and designed to be genuinely useful as a supplier management tool rather than a document that exists on paper but has no practical effect.