uk bat.com - Working with our suppliers

We continuously monitor our suppliers to ensure they meet our standards

We buy hundreds of thousands of tonnes of tobacco a year but our procurement doesn’t stop there. As well as tobacco leaf, we spend a significant amount of money on a wide variety of goods and services.

We demonstrate a strong commitment to a sustainable supply chain and expect high standards of conduct from all of our suppliers across the world.

Our supplier philosophy is based primarily on our Statement of Business Principles. Developed with the help of stakeholders in dialogue, the principles are: Mutual Benefit, Responsible Product Stewardship and Good Corporate Conduct.

As a responsible business we believe we should do more than ensure that we exhibit best practice in our workplace. We should also use our influence to raise standards, secure product integrity and further best practice in our supply chain and across the tobacco industry.

In support of good corporate conduct within the supply chain we recognise the need to implement and promote business practices that respect human rights, enhance workplace safety, contribute towards environmental protection and are socially responsible.

As part of our commitment to being a sustainable business, we further integrate social and environmental requirements into the appointment of our business partners. We seek out and give preference to businesses and organisations that can demonstrate that they:

• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations where they conduct business;
• Ensure that the highest business ethics are followed and do not engage in corruption or fraudulent activity of any kind;
• Proactively support efforts to combat illicit trade;
• Comply with all international, national and local regulations for environmental performance, safety and occupational health provision;
• Demonstrate that they pay due regard to the impacts of their activities on the environment and work to minimise these impacts;
• Demonstrate assurance that the raw materials they use are from sustainable sources, where applicable;
• Provide regular training for employees on environmental protection and company occupational, health and safety requirements;
• Provide employees with a safe and healthy working environment;
• Do not allow discrimination or harassment in the workplace;
• Provide continuing education, learning and/or development opportunities for employees;
• Demonstrate a commitment to universally recognised human rights and freedoms;
• Do not employ child, prison or bonded labour or use corporal punishment or other forms of mental or physical coercion;
• Demonstrate an interest in and actively contribute to the communities in which they operate.

We assess potential business partners’ ability to demonstrate their commitment and performance against these principles and request supporting evidence to verify claims where required.

Successfully appointed suppliers or business partners are provided with further support and guidance, enabling improvement against these principles as a business relationship develops.

These requirements apply to all of our suppliers. We use our Business Enabler Survey Tool (BEST) for key suppliers and it goes further still, scrutinising them using 108 criteria.