Oxfam GB Supply Policy

• We develop and adopt optimum supply strategies and processes that achieve best value for money in procuring the goods, works and services that will meet Oxfam GB needs, and in the disposal of surplus and redundant assets and waste.
• We recognise the safety, health, environmental and ethical impacts of all supply decisions, and will involve our suppliers in addressing issues that may arise and expect them to assist us in minimising any negative effects.
• We develop relationships with our supply market that are the most appropriate to gaining a mutual understanding of our needs and our suppliers’ capabilities, and which will ensure consistency of quality, reliability, availability and performance at affordable cost.
• We work with suppliers, offering appropriate support, and make demands in relation to the improvement of standards that are reasonable and reflect relevant circumstances.
• We ensure that our supply requirements are adequately defined and specified in sufficient time to allow the supply market to react to our demand.
• We ensure that our supply activities comply with all applicable international and national laws, regulations, conventions and agreements that are in force in the countries from where our requirements are being procured, and ensure that the specific supply related requirements of our donors are adhered to.
• We will not engage in any activity with suppliers, or buyers from other organisations, which might be deemed to be anti-competitive or in breach of any statutory requirements in any country or trading region.
• We ensure that payments for supply of goods, works and services are made in accordance with terms agreed at the time the transaction was finalised, subject to satisfactory compliance with the original order.
• We expect our suppliers to manage their own supply base in a way that ensures security of supply and is capable of meeting our expectations of them.
• We do not terminate purchase arrangements or relationships without due regard to all material circumstances, appropriate communication and notification to the supplier.
• We expect staff to respond sympathetically to genuine errors by suppliers, and not to take advantage of them. Where errors occur in own practices, we will take appropriate remedial action in a helpful and timely way.
• We expect staff not to deliberately mislead, or take advantage of genuine errors made by our suppliers and will take action necessary to remedy the situation and minimise the impact of any false information or error to both Oxfam GB and our suppliers.
• We expect staff to act impartially and objectively in all their purchasing activities and to keep written records where appropriate to demonstrate that their actions have been fair and above reproach.
• We expect staff to declare in advance any interest commercial or otherwise, they may have with a supplier to Oxfam GB and to be prepared to withdraw from those dealings if required.
• We expect staff to maintain an unimpeachable standard of integrity in all their business relationships and to foster the highest possible standards of professional competence in all their supply activities.
• We expect staff not to accept any personal gifts or other inducements, which, individually or cumulatively, can be reasonably adjudged as aimed at influencing the purchasing decision.
• We expect staff to seek to purchase goods and services ethically, which are produced and delivered under conditions that do not involve the abuse or exploitation of any persons and which have the least negative impact on the environment.
• We expect staff to handle information such as prices, wages and other sensitive or confidential supplier information in an appropriate manner.
• We expect staff to comply with both the letter and the spirit of the law, of the countries in which they operate and with which Oxfam GB deals and in all contractual obligations incurred by or on behalf of Oxfam GB.

Supplier information