
Research has shown that buyer purchasing practices can prevent supplier compliance with company codes of conduct and put at risk the lives and dignity of workers in supply chains. While poor purchasing practices have led to many problems, including child labor and employee retrenchment, many of their negative effects fall into four categories.
- Failure to pay wages and benefits required by law and buyers’ codes of conduct
- Use of excessive overtime, some of which may be forced
- Unauthorized subcontracting to unsafe facilities with poor working conditions
- Increase use of temporary labor making employment more precarious
Better BuyingTM sheds light on purchasing practices so that they can be improved and suppliers will be better supported in providing safe and fair conditions for workers.
Suppliers Rate Seven Categories of their Buyers’ Purchasing Practices:

Purchasing Practice #1
Planning and Forecasting
Planning and forecasting measure the visibility buyers provide suppliers into ordering plans.
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Purchasing Practice #2
Design and Development
Design and development captures the extent buyers are late or inaccurate in providing necessary technical ...
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Purchasing Practice #3
Cost and Cost Negotiation
Cost and cost negotiation captures whether suppliers receive sufficient funds to meet all the buyer’s…
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Purchasing Practice #4
Sourcing and Order Placement
Sourcing and order placement considers two topics–whether supplier compliance to codes of conducts is incentivized…
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Purchasing Practice #5
Payment and Terms
Payment and terms measures whether suppliers are paid on time and at the price agreed...
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Purchasing Practice #6
Management of the Purchasing Process
Management of the purchasing process looks at whether the time suppliers need for production is offered…
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Purchasing Practice #7
Win-Win Sustainable Partnership
Win-Win Sustainable Partnership includes both the internal alignment of buyer staff on corporate social compliance…
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