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Step 3: Take action 3.2 Engage suppliers

Establishing collaborative, direct and long-term relationships helps to build transparency and trust with suppliers while reducing commercial risks, for both the supplier and buyer. With long-term relationships, suppliers will be more open to partnering to implement a living wage / living income strategy as a long-term investment.

Communicate expectations

  • Share your company targets and policy or commitment to achieve living income and/or wages
  • Set up supply chain meetings with representatives from the different stakeholders
  • Bring third party facilitators if necessary

Prioritise suppliers with whom you wish to engage in a living wage/income strategy

  • Short or least complex supply chains
  • Suppliers with whom you have a long-term relationship
  • Suppliers open to social dialogue for wage negotiations with workers
  • Suppliers that have producer tracking in place

Co-design strategies with suppliers

  • Jointly identify good practices and issues with suppliers
  • Design specific actions with suppliers
  • Engage suppliers to act as learning partners in this process in order to test possible interventions
  • Be open to hearing about experienced suppliers’ solutions on strategies