RESPONSIBLE PURCHASING POLICY

INCLUDING LINEAR FISHERIES (OXFORD) LTD

Smiths Bletchington are committed to undertaking their business activities responsibly and sustainably, meeting the needs of customers, employees and other stakeholders, while managing the social and environmental impacts of our activities.

POLICY:
The Directors will be responsible for this Policy, allocating funds as necessary, to ensure its implementation. The Policy will be subject to a process of continual improvement but will also be subject to a formal annual review.

SUPPLIERS:
We will work with our suppliers (including contractors, sub-contractors and other business partners) to improve their own social, environmental and ethical standards, but not require them to achieve standards greater than our own. We will select our suppliers on the basis of fair, objective and transparent criteria, which will include assessment of their ethical, social and environmental performance, while protecting confidentiality of information entrusted to us during the selection process. We will adopt a risk-based approach when selecting suppliers and will not engage with those who disregard this Policy. We expect our suppliers to be fully aware of our commitment to be a socially responsible company, with particular reference to compliance with our Modern Slavery Policy. Suppliers should be aware of our Environmental Policy and manage their own business to show continual improvement in their own environmental performance.

PROCUREMENT:
We shall, where possible, endeavour to source materials, goods and services locally from responsible suppliers (as defined in the paragraph above) with an emphasis on recycled, recyclable or sustainable products. When specifying purchases of assets or supplies, consideration will be given to minimising emissions, wastage and pollution arising from these purchases.

BUSINESS ETHICS:
We will practise responsible purchasing as laid out in our Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, with particular emphasis that our business will be conducted in accordance with Competition Law and Anti Bribery legislation, and our policies in respect of the same.

EMPLOYEES:
The Directors will assign responsibility and authority to operate in accordance with this Policy, to named individuals within the Company, while providing oversight of the Policy and its implementation. All relevant employees will be made aware of this Responsible Purchasing Policy.

In Smiths Bletchington, our commitment to Responsible Purchasing is a key feature of our Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, which is integral to all our activities and lays out our core values.

Ric Clemmey
Managing Director

August 2022