Responsibility beyond your own operations

What lies beneath

Social sustainability in the supply chain requires:

• Insight into where risks occur, based on region, sector, and type of labour
• Monitoring and identifying incidents such as exploitation, intimidation, or underpayment
• Policies, codes of conduct, and collaboration with suppliers
• Integration into strategy, contracts, and reporting

Without visibility, there is no control. Without policy, there is no improvement.

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Leadership means taking responsibility across the chain

Leadership means:

• Looking beyond your own operations
• Understanding what happens on your behalf within the supply chain
• Taking action when practices do not align with your values

Organisations that do this effectively build trust with customers, employees, auditors, and society.

Three levels of development

Compliance | Insight into social risks in the supply chain

Identifying negative incidents and risks within the supply chain. This includes:

• Regions with increased risk of human rights violations
• Reports of misconduct
• Sectors with vulnerable labour conditions

External sources and internal signals are used to assess risks.

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Compliance+ | Human rights policies and codes of conduct

Establishing a code of conduct or human rights policy that addresses supply chain risks. Organisations actively work on:

• Supplier engagement
• Requirements for social audits or compliance
• Training and support for implementation

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Strategic | Integration into ESG strategy and reporting

Embedding social sustainability into overall business strategy and ESG frameworks. Key indicators, targets, and actions related to human rights, living wages, freedom of association, and social safety are:

• Monitored
• Evaluated
• Reported annually, for example under ESRS standards

Social sustainability becomes a core strategic pillar, not an optional initiative.

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What it delivers

A mature approach to social sustainability in the supply chain provides:

• Reduced risk of incidents, complaints, and reputational damage
• Stronger trust from customers and investors
• Compliance with upcoming legislation such as due diligence and ESG reporting
• Greater social impact across the supply chain
• Alignment between brand values and real world actions

What happens in your supply chain reflects directly on your organisation.

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Where do you stand?

Do you have clear insight into risks and incidents in your supply chain? Have you established policies or codes of conduct? Are you already reporting on the social aspects of your operations? Mérieux NutriSciences | Expert Partners helps you build insight, define policies, and embed social responsibility into your ESG strategy.