Agree mutual responsibilities

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To plan production and employment efficiently and to meaningfully agree to meet your expectations, your suppliers need clarity on what they can expect from you in return.

Establishing a two-way code of conduct that sets clear, realistic expectations of both parties can help create an equal partnership. This needs to be written together with your suppliers, ensuring your expectations of them are understood and feasible, and that what they can expect from you is equally defined. 

Use this shared code of conduct to inform balanced scorecards that include human rights performance and link to meaningful incentives. As shown in Schijvens’ approach, you can structure supplier feedback on your purchasing practices around this code. As explored further inPrinciple 4: Fair Payment and Contract Terms, use it to inform contracts—ensuring your commitments are built into binding agreements.

In this video: Jeske van Korven, CSR at Schijvens

Jeske outlines how her company builds strong partnerships with suppliers. She highlights:

  • A focus on long-term relationships across a small supply base. 
  • Open, transparent communication, including regular factory visits and direct phone calls.
  • The PLM system (product lifecycle management) that updates every two weeks, allowing early identification of delays and proactive problem solving. 
  • A two-way code of conduct that captures mutual expectations and enables suppliers to give feedback on Schijvens’ performance.
  • Supplier meetings that support dialogue on living wage and CSR projects, and encourage peer learning.
  • A performance rating system that includes delivery, quality, and CSR—linked to financial bonuses.

Examples of two-way codes of conduct

Some brands and retailers publish their two-way codes of conduct on their websites. Review the examples below to see how different companies define mutual expectations with their suppliers: