We have a strong commitment to sustainability and this is a key approach to the goods and services we buy. We aim to be a sustainable company with a sustainable supply chain.

Our procurement process sets the standards for each supplier to follow:

Environment

• Assess and manage key environmental risks.
• Comply with relevant environmental legislation, regulations and codes of practice.
• Focus on waste reduction, recycling and the waste hierarchy.
• Measure their carbon footprint and target reductions.
• Think 'one planet'.
• Have formal environmental management systems appropriate to their size. Larger companies are expected to be certified to ISO 14001 (or equivalent) by a certification body with IAF body member accreditation.

Economic

• Be financially sound.
• Operate a sustainable cost model providing a fair wage for employees and timely payment of suppliers.
• Support an open book approach to cost, encouraging collaboration and driving sustainable cost reduction.
• Maximise the benefit for the economy and employment in SWW's region.

Social and Ethical

• Operate to the highest ethical standards.
• Accept our Supplier Code of Conduct.
• Comply with provisions of the Bribery Act 2010.
• Declare any personal interests.
• Comply with international labour standards in accordance with the principles of the International Labour Organisation Conventions.
• Support sustainable local communities in their areas of activity.
• Adopt appropriate ethical standards for global trading (ETI, SA 8000, UN Global Compact)