Social conditions in global supply chains
Do you want to get personally involved in improving international terms and conditions of employment, and in eliminating child labour, starvation wages, and inhuman working conditions? Social conditions in European public procurements can have impacts all along the supply chain.
Social conditions in global supply chains explained
Social conditions focus on promoting international labour standards and human rights, including combating forced labour, slavery, child labour and unfair discrimination. Implementing international social conditions in major contracts for supplies, services and works helps to eliminate such injustices in the supply chain. This is because social conditions require suppliers to determine whether they foresee risks, in terms of labour standards and human rights along their supply chain. If so, then the supplier must make every effort to prevent or reduce such risks. Implementing social conditions creates awareness and encourages suppliers to improve conditions in their supply chains.
Further details: Social conditions in global supply chains explained
Getting started with social conditions in global supply chains
It is mandatory to implement social conditions if two criteria are met. Firstly the contracts exceeds a value greater than or equal to European public procurement thresholds. Secondly, the contract falls within one of the ten identified risk categories determined by the national government. It is obligatory to include these social conditions in the tender documentation as special terms and conditions of performance. However social conditions as selection or award criteria are possible as well. Only once the award (or provisional award) has been made should you engage the selected supplier in a dialogue about how social conditions in the supply chain can be improved. When the time comes to sign the contract, the supplier indicates what they foresee social injustices in their production chain and, if so, how they plan to combat them. Based on a risk analysis, the supplier selects the most appropriate mitigation approach. During implementation, the internal client or contract manager will maintain a dialogue with the supplier concerning progress. Transparency and mutual trust are essential if improvements in social conditions along the supply chain are to be successfully implemented.
Further details: Getting started with social conditions in global supply chains