Overall Aim

Frobishers Juices Ltd is aiming to ensure that the goods and services it purchases are manufactured, used and disposed of in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Our purchasing decisions should where practicable consider the whole life cost of the product and the associated risks and implications for society and the environment.

As part of this we recognise that it is our responsibility to encourage our suppliers to minimise negative environmental and social effects associated with the products and services that they provide. Procurement can make a significant contribution to our goals by ensuring that the goods and services we buy consider optimum environmental performance.

This policy standard sets out the requirements and expectations of our policy of sustainable and ethical procurement. Specifically, it addresses the expectation that our staff and suppliers have a natural respect for our ethical standards in the context of their own particular culture and that relationships with our suppliers are based on the principle of fair and honest dealings at all times.

The same principle of fair and honest dealings must be extended to all others with whom our suppliers do business, including employees, sub-contractors and other third parties and their local communities.

 

Sustainable Procurement Standard

When first selecting suppliers we will seek out organisations that share our commitment to sound environmental performance. Where necessary we will look to offer assistance to our suppliers to raise their environmental awareness.

We will work in partnership with suppliers to minimise the environmental and social impacts of our supply chain.

All suppliers of products or services to Frobishers Juices Ltd are required to develop the following;

• An environmental policy in place with long term objectives and targets.
• An energy use reduction plan in place and targets that are fixed and monitored with a long term goal of reducing energy usage.
• A water use reduction plan in place and targets that are fixed and monitored with a long term goal of reducing energy usage.
• A waste reduction plan in place and targets that are fixed and monitored with a long term goal of reducing waste.

Frobishers Juices Ltd will use their influence to encourage suppliers to undertake sustainability initiatives both within their local area and in conjunction with their own supply chain.

Where relevant Frobishers Juices Ltd will evaluate products purchased on the basis of long term value for money, using whole life costing to assess;

• Purchase, routing and supply chain costs.
• Handling and operating costs at final point of discharge and usage.
• Transit packaging costs. Wherever possible we will maximise use of bulk tanker/flexitank traffic.
• Management costs including staff training, insurance, health and safety and environmental costs.
• Disposal costs.

We will work with suppliers to explore service-based contracts for products to reduce their whole life costs and environmental impacts.

We will encourage suppliers to propose innovations and suppliers will recognise the company’s commitment to sustainability and strive to offer cost effective sustainable solutions.

 

Ethical Procurement Standard

All suppliers to Frobishers Juices Ltd are expected to comply with legal requirements and to have the following as a minimum requirement;

• An ethical policy in line with the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) base code.
• Observe International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles regarding working conditions, equal opportunities, equal pay, freedom of association, minimum wages, child labour, and overtime being freely chosen and maximum working hours are in line with legislation.

In addition to these minimum requirements we require, where appropriate all suppliers to be members of Sedex. If this is not in place then we will offer assistance to help the supplier put this in place.

With respect to safe and healthy working conditions we expect our suppliers:

• To provide a safe and healthy working environment bearing in mind national standards and the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards.
• To take adequate steps to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working practice and environment.
• Provide workers with suitable and sufficient health and safety training, in order that they fully understand the hazards associated with the work activity and environment and the correct practices required to minimise the risks.
• Provide suitable and adequate welfare facilities including toilet facilities, drinking water and food storage where required. Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe and meet the needs of the workers.
• To assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.

 

Key Principles

1. Working Together.
   we will;
   • work collaboratively with suppliers in pursuit of this standard;
   • guide relationships by the principle of continual improvement;
   • consider a similar ethical trading standard as a reasonable alternative where suppliers are already working towards sustainability.
2. Making a Difference.
   We will and we expect our suppliers to;
   • develop an environmental and social risk-based approach to the implementation of this standard;
   • focus attention on those parts of the supply chain where the risk of not meeting this standard is highest and where the maximum difference can be made with resources available.
   • be prepared to demonstrate the basis of the approach with regard to the above.
3. Awareness Raising and Training.
   We will and we expect our suppliers to;
   • ensure that all relevant people are provided with appropriate training and guidelines to implement the requirements of this standard.
4. Monitoring and Independent Verification.
   we will and we expect our suppliers to,
   • recognise that the implementation of this standard may be assessed through monitoring and independent verification, and that these methods will be developed as our understanding grows.
   • the supplier will provide reasonable access to all relevant information, premises, and workers (through interviews) and co-operate in any assessment against this standard – using reasonable endeavours to ensure that sub-contractors do the same.
5. Continuous Improvement.
   We will and we expect our supplier to,
   • apply a continual improvement approach in agreeing schedules for improvement plans with suppliers not meeting the full standard;
   • base improvement plans on individual case circumstances;
   • Ultimately, we will not do business with a supplier where serious breaches of this standard are identified or where the supplier consistently fails to take corrective action within an agreed timescale.

 

Training and Implementation

Sustainable Procurement will be incorporated into the induction, job descriptions and objectives for all relevant staff in the sourcing and supply chain and management processes.

 

Communication and Reporting

Frobishers Juices Ltd will communicate the policy to suppliers sustainable procurement policy in all initial communications with new suppliers.
We will recognise those suppliers whose products and services offer the greatest sustainability improvements.

 

Policy Development

This policy will be reviewed on at least a 12 monthly basis.