Supplier Code of Conduct examines the written standards a company issues to set minimum environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations for all suppliers - and the systems it employs to embed, monitor and enforce those expectations. It covers:

• alignment with international norms (ILO Core Conventions, UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, OECD Guidelines, ISO 20400) and translation into clear, auditable requirements;
• thematic provisions - human and labour rights, health & safety, environmental management (energy, water, waste, chemicals), business ethics (anti-corruption, data privacy), and grievance mechanisms;
• scope of application across supply-chain tiers (direct, indirect, raw-material sources, contractors, agents);
• contractual integration, onboarding communication, training and capacity-building for suppliers;
• risk-based due-diligence, assessments, audits, corrective-action plans and escalation/termination procedures;
• review and continuous-improvement processes that keep the code current with evolving regulations (e.g., EU CSDDD, US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act) and stakeholder expectations.