Responsible purchasing practices in manufacturing: Transforming buyer-supplier relationships

Workers at a manufacturing plant

On 7 May, the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)  hosted an ETI Insights webinar: Responsible Purchasing Practices: Driving change in manufacturing industries’. The marked the culmination of a 21-month collaboration with 15 companies from diverse manufacturing sectors. Through this initiative, ETI explored the impact of purchasing decisions on workers, drawing on pilot projects and practical feedback to shape the discussion.

The webinar provided valuable lessons and practical insights, with reflections on the shift toward more responsible, collaborative supply chain relationships:

  • Shared responsibility is essential:  Eike Feddersen from IGS highlighted that meaningful change depends on buyers and suppliers working as equal partners. 

“At the heart of our effort is the principle of shared responsibility -because responsible purchasing practices are the key to making that relationship work,” she said.
 

  • Listening unlocks insight: Several speakers emphasised that the project helped pinpoint concrete next steps for improvement. Stephen Duce from Hardscape reminded participants of the value in simply asking suppliers what they need.

“You can’t fix what you don’t understand—and too often we don’t ask”, he noted.

  • RPP as a mindset, not a check list: Several speakers stressed that RPP isn’t just about compliance, it’s a cultural shift towards fostering stronger, more transparent partnerships. Mansi Gupta from Color Consulting put it well:

“It’s about creating an environment where suppliers feel they can voice concerns and collaborate on long-term solutions. The project effectively shifted dynamics by focusing on HRDD via purchasing practices.”

  • Transparency builds trust: Both buyer and supplier shared how openness around costing, forecasts, and market insights created space for better planning and trust. 

    Paige Taylor from Small World Accessories noted, 

“There is an openness that we haven’t had before, and a commitment from all to work together in partnership to improve ways of working.” 

Nancy Han from Jin Yu Xiang He Jewelry added, 

“All the improvements - especially sharing market data and order forecasts - helped us reduce waste, improve planning, and increase worker satisfaction. I hope other brands can learn from this example.”

Diving deeper: Insights from the project

While we had time to cover many important points, there were numerous insightful questions we couldn’t get to during the session. Below, we unpack some of the most common themes that emerged:

Supplier surveys

Using the Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices (CFRPP) as a foundation, ETI developed a custom survey to gather supply input. We designed questions around each relevant principle of the framework - excluding Principle 1, which focuses on internal company integration and therefore wasn’t applicable to suppliers. For each principle, we explored whether a practice posed a challenge for suppliers, followed by questions on how it impacted their business and, in turn, how this might affect workers, including the severity of those impacts.

The timeline for the initiative was tight. Survey responses were needed in the early phase of the project to give sufficient time for action. We did speak with Better Buying, whose surveys are tailored to apparel and textiles. As our goal was to explore broader manufacturing industries and to reflect the scope of the CFRPP, we chose to build our own tool from that foundation.

Significant effort went into preparing suppliers for participation. We held sessions in both English and Mandarin to explain the purpose, process, and how their input could benefit them directly.For several suppliers, the experience of commenting on the practices of their clients was new. Their initial assumption was that they were being audited. The groundwork of building trust and explaining the intention of the survey, enabled meaningful replies. The survey turned out to be an effective tool for gathering structured feedback, particularly on current purchasing practices. However, we were also clear throughout that surveys alone do not improve purchasing practices.

A critical next step was for brands to share the survey findings with their suppliers and collaborate on next steps. This is essential. Many suppliers told us that feedback is often collected but rarely acted upon - undermining trust and discouraging future participation. Transparency, follow-up, and a genuine intention to act are key.

For brands that didn’t participate in the survey - whether due to lack of an established supplier relationship or being early in their RPP journey - some opted to set up initial meetings with selected suppliers instead. These conversations helped to build trust and laid the groundwork for future collaboration. Whether via surveys or dialogue, what matters is that feedback mechanisms are followed by concrete action and ongoing engagement. Responsible purchasing is a process, not a one-off activity, and continuous improvement requires regular check-ins and adaptations.

Note: ETI continues to refine the supplier survey and will share updates as the process evolves.

Gaining internal buy-in

Improving purchasing practices requires coordinated effort across your organisation. To get there, you need to build internal understanding, use evidence to drive urgency, and secure leadership support.

1. Build awareness across teams 

Responsible purchasing often starts with helping teams - from buying, logistics to sales - understand how their decisions affect suppliers and workers.

  • For example, in this project we used the procurement mapping to internally understand and map current purchasing practices
  • Encourage open conversations about where commercial pressure points conflict with ethical goals.

2. Use supplier feedback

Supplier feedback - whether gathered through surveys or direct conversations - can be a powerful tool for driving internal engagement. In the initiative, survey responses highlighted how certain purchasing practices were adversely affecting both suppliers and workers. Participants also worked on the initial impact and risk assessments, along with a critical path review, to document current purchasing behaviours and risk areas. With supplier input, they were able to prioritise initial actions and identify key internal and external barriers to progress.

One buyer reflected: “I never realised that a single decision of mine could shape the lives of 2,000 workers - I had no idea.’’

These insights help commercial teams and leaders see the human impact of their decisions, making the case for change real and urgency.

3. Leverage external drivers 

Show how current purchasing practices may conflict with your company’s human rights commitments - and how responsible purchasing can help close that gap. Highlight evolving legislation, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), to underscore the regulatory and reputational risks. As part of this project, we developed a tool to show how RPP are reflected in EU legislation, and how the CFRPP Manufacturing Industries can support compliance.

4. Secure leadership support

By the time you approach senior leaders, have a clear ask and show the benefits.

  • Present supplier feedback alongside business risks and opportunities.
  • Be specific about what support you need - time, access, or resources - and how it aligns with company goals.

Note: ETI, in collaboration with the RPP working group, is developing a RPP Resource Hub to support companies in assessing and improving commercial practices. The Hub is expected to launch publicly in June 2025.

Navigating power dynamics

Power dynamics between buyers and suppliers are often skewed - especially in industries like fashion and food, where suppliers or producers may be significantly smaller. However, in our initiative, we also saw cases where buyers were working with some of the largest suppliers in the world. Regardless of the balance of power, there are always steps companies can take to act more responsibly.

The key is partnership. Responsible purchasing is not about placing blame - it’s about shared responsibility and mutual benefit. When brands approach suppliers also requesting feedback on their purchasing practices, rather than with a list of compliance checks on suppliers, it shifts the dynamic. The focus becomes joint problem-solving, transparency, and building trust.

Even low-volume buyers can act responsibly by communicating clearly, providing reasonable lead times, and aligning their commercial practices with their stated values. For suppliers, this consistency builds confidence and opens the door to more strategic collaboration.

Importantly, when brands invite feedback on their own purchasing practices behaviour it shifts the dynamic. The conversation becomes less about risk and auditing and more about systemic improvement. In some cases, it even unlocked better outcomes on broader human rights and due diligence issues. Whether large or small, any company can influence change - especially when they lead with intention, clarity, and openness to learning.

What’s next?

ETI’s work on RPP is ongoing across sectors including Apparel & Textiles, Food, Farming & Fisheries, and Manufacturing. Implementing RPPs is not a one-off solution, but a long-term commitment - one that calls for ongoing learning, collaboration, and action. The insights and tools developed through this project lay a strong foundation for progress, and ETI stands ready to support stakeholders every step of the way.

For businesses looking to take next steps, ETI offers RPP training and has developed a comprehensive suite of resources: