Corporate sustainability leaders face challenges related to the wide variety of expectations for addressing supply chain sustainability. Many are seeking ways to better understand the sustainability performance of companies within their supply chain while responding to similar requests from their own customers. While the objectives of such efforts are often similar, the format and content are typically quite different. To address these concerns, GEMI has worked to build a cross-industry coalition – GEMI’s Supply Chain Sustainability (SCS) Work Group – to drive alignment on global supply chain sustainability solutions while meeting common cross-industry goals.
Through GEMI’s SCS Work Group, GEMI sought input from a group of large multi-national corporations and industry trade associations to develop the following Responsible Supply Chain Guiding Principles. GEMI evaluated principles established by various industry sectors and 3rd party organizations, and facilitated engagement with many such organizations to inform this process.
The principles are intended to outline foundational elements that business leaders across industries believe to be essential when engaging suppliers on sustainability. The principles may provide a framework to help companies and industry stakeholder groups to: guide the process for engaging suppliers regarding sustainability; advance strategic collaborations; and, promote increased alignment across industry-focused supply chain sustainability initiatives.
Special thanks to 2017 GEMI member companies and Supply Chain Sustainability project participants for their leadership and engagement, including American Chemistry Council, Ashland, Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable, Carnival Corporation & plc, Corn Refiners Association, Ecolab, ExxonMobil Chemical, FedEx, Gannett Fleming, Hexion, IPIECA, Merck, Plastics Industry Association, P&G, Perdue Farms, Schlumberger, Sealed Air, Smithfield Foods and Smith & Nephew. Special thanks also to Mary Beth Jordan, MBJ Strategies for her work in supporting this effort.
Related GEMI Resources