Through the deal with Sedex Coca-Cola Hellenic (CCH) says it wants to improve transparency at every level of the supply chain – monitoring supplier standards and improving ethical and responsible business standards.
Sedex is a non-profit organization headquartered in London that works with buyers, suppliers and audit firms worldwide – it says it has 36,000 members – to improve responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains.
The company provides a collaborative online platform – Sedex claims it is the world’s largest – for managing and sharing ethical supply chain data that firms can use to understand, monitor and manage supply chain risks and raise standards.
A Sedex spokeswoman told BeverageDaily.com: "Sedex members from the drinks industry include global giants such as Bacardi, Britvic, Carlsberg, Diageo, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Miller Coors, Nestle, Ovaltine and Pepsico, right down to smaller producers such as Kingsland Wine and Spirits, Origin Wine and Accolade Wine.
"A significant chunk of these companies suppliers are also members of Sedex," she added.
Attention to labor standards, health & safety, environment, business practices
A secure database lets members store, share and report on information in four key areas: labour standards, health and safety, the environment and business practices.
Buyers such as CCH can run reports on ethical supply chain data and track suppliers' progress on these key issues, while a risk assessment tool helps them identify and manage supply chain risks, cutting out the need for unnecessary paperwork.
Suppliers, meanwhile, can complete one self-assessment questionnaire that they can then share with multiple customers on Sedex, together with relevant ethical information, audit reports, certificates and corrective action plans, thus removing the need and cost of multiple audits, questionnaires and certifications.
Coca-Cola Hellenic can now cover entire supply base
Gary Brewster, CCH operational sustainability and primary packaging director, said the company was committed to sustainable and responsible growth. Until now, he explained, the bottler has worked with partners within the Coca-Cola system on a global supplier audit program covering its authorized suppliers.
"Now, by partnering with Sedex we can cover our entire supplier base – consequently our understanding of our supply chain impacts and our transparency will be more complete," he said.
Brewster added that with many of Hellenic's suppliers already Sedex members, joining the platform enabled CCH to "quickly close the gaps on our supply chain transparency".