Unethical procurement and supply management has never before hit the headlines so hard. CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply) is fighting back and asking procurement professionals and organisations to do the same and make a real difference with the launch of a new online pathway to ethical procurement and supply.
As a recognition that better awareness and education is needed in the profession to help eradicate supply chain malpractice, a two-hour hour e-learning course will take participants through content on corruption, fraud, bribery, exploitation, human rights and forced labour as well understanding morale and social conscience.
After the learning is complete an online test will give participants who pass a certificate of achievement to demonstrate their understanding as well as recognition on the CIPS Website as trained in ethics.
It will be made available to individuals as well as to organisations wishing to demonstrate their own commitment to ethical procurement and supply.
Within organisations, CIPS recommends that organisations review and adopt the CIPS Corporate Code of Ethics as well as ensuring that all staff responsible for sourcing and managing suppliers take the test. Once the e-learning is completed by staff, the organisation will also be asked to sign the CIPS Statement of Commitment, to publicly reinforce their commitment to ethical behaviour and practices.
They will also be listed on CIPS Corporate Ethical Register and will receive the Corporate Ethical Mark to reflect their commitment to ethical procurement and supply.
David Noble, Group CEO CIPS said: “This is a key step forward in arming our professionals with a toolkit to enable them to understand and take action on unethical practices in their supply chains. Awareness and education is key
in managing issues such as fraud, corruption or even evidence of modern day slavery.
“We have recently called for a licence for our profession and are asking both our members and organisations to commit to a self-regulated approach to procurement and supply by ensuring the right people with the right skills are in the right job. This ethics test underpins that activity and is just the start of the journey.”
As an introductory offer, the test will be available free of charge to CIPS members until October 2014. It will carry a charge for non-members. For further information visit www.cips.org/ethics-elearning