PROFILE
of sustainability issues added a focus on product stewardship – that is , minimizing the health , safety , and environmental impacts of products from production , packaging , product use and disposal .
Today , there is another important dimension to supply chain and procurement . Supply chain professionals are now having to account for and respond to non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ), customers , shareholders , and regulators . The expectation is that businesses should know the provenance of all the materials and components in their products , and that they should address the human rights impacts in their operations and throughout their supply chains .
Every product can be reduced to the raw materials , minerals , agricultural and aqua cultural goods they contain and the work required to produce them . Concerns over the ” responsible sourcing ” occur when raw materials and goods are sourced and converted to products where the population lacks education , individual workers are not empowered , governments fail to protect their most vulnerable , and economic ( and physical )
‘ Concerns over the ” responsible sourcing ” occur when raw materials and goods are sourced and converted to products where the population lacks education , individual workers are not empowered , governments fail to protect their most vulnerable , and economic ( and physical ) power is limited to a few ’
– Dynda A . Thomas , Partner at Squire Patton Boggs
8 October 2016