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Practical documents contributed by partner companies, giving supply chain practitioners ready-to-use terms of purchase, purchasing ethics and auditor guidance.
Featured material
L'Oreal General Terms of Purchase and Payment
A reference document showing how a major consumer goods company formalises the commercial terms under which suppliers are engaged and paid.
The portal hosts this material as part of its reference library for practitioners working on Corporate Social Responsibility in the supply chain. The terms themselves are published by the contributing company, and the original supplier-facing document is available from the L'Oreal website.
Also in the library
More reference materials
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Suez Purchasing Ethics
Purchasing ethics guidance contributed by Suez, covering the standards expected of suppliers in the purchasing relationship.
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HP SER CAP guidance for lead auditors
Guidance for lead auditors working within HP's social and environmental responsibility audit programme.
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L'Oreal General Terms of Purchase and Payment
General terms of purchase and payment applied by L'Oreal when working with suppliers.
Related key topics
Topics linked to this material
- Child labour/forced or bonded labour
- Compensation
- Health and Safety
- Working hours
Each topic connects the reference documents above to the wider supplier engagement process, from self-assessment through risk assessment and audit validation to continuous improvement.
Related standards
Standards referenced alongside these materials
| Standard | Focus |
|---|---|
| Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) | Business-driven platform for improving social compliance in the supply chain |
| ETI - Ethical Trading Initiative | Ethical trading principles for sourcing and production |
| FLA Workplace Code of Conduct - FLA 3.0 | Workplace standards for apparel and textile supply chains |
| GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines (G3) | Guidance on reporting sustainability performance |
| ICS - Initiative Clause Sociale | French social compliance initiative |
| OECD Guidelines for Multinationals | Responsible business conduct for multinational enterprises |
| OHSAS 18001 | Occupational health and safety management |
| SA 8000 | Social accountability standard |
More standards are catalogued in the Standards section of the portal.
Reference materials on this site are practical documents contributed by partner companies, giving supply chain practitioners ready-to-use terms of purchase, purchasing ethics guidance and auditor instructions. Rather than relying on abstract commentary, the library offers working templates that can be studied, adapted and compared. Readers can browse the available downloads, review featured material and see how organizations formalise the commercial relationships on which their networks depend, building a shared vocabulary for everyone involved in the effort.
The featured example, a general terms of purchase and payment document from a major consumer goods company, illustrates how a large organization formalises the conditions under which suppliers are engaged and compensated. Studying such a document reveals the structures, timelines and responsibilities that frame a supplier relationship. It is presented as part of the reference library for practitioners working on corporate social responsibility, offering insight into the paperwork behind responsible sourcing.
Auditor guidance sits alongside purchasing ethics material because credible progress depends on consistent, transparent verification rather than isolated good intentions. Practical references help quality, compliance and social teams align on what evidence is expected and how it should be reviewed. This matters across international supply chains operating under different local laws and cultural expectations, where a common framework reduces friction and improves confidence in the standards being applied.
These documents are designed to support continuous improvement rather than one-off audits. By sharing terms of purchase and ethical guidance openly, companies can identify gaps in their own processes, compare approaches with peers and strengthen relationships with suppliers and retailers over time. The library also serves small and medium-sized businesses that need accessible starting points, helping them build responsible practice into procurement without needing to create every tool from scratch.
Ultimately, a reference library turns responsibility into something operational. Terms written clearly, ethics policies communicated plainly and audits conducted consistently allow care for workers, families and communities to travel through a supply chain alongside the goods themselves. The materials gathered here support that journey, giving practitioners in retail, logistics and manufacturing a dependable place to find, compare and reuse the documents that make responsible supply chains work in the real world.
Expertise
Created with the expertise of
The portal's reference library and related content are developed with input from partner organisations and contributors across industry and civil society.
- CSR Europe
- Titan Cement
- Volkswagen AG
- HP
- L'Oreal
- CSR Hellas
See the Partners page for the full list of contributing organisations.
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Reference documents sit within a wider set of tools for practitioners: key topics, recognised standards, and a step-by-step supplier engagement process covering self-assessment, risk assessment, audit validation, communication and continuous improvement.