Working With Our Supply Chain
Our suppliers are pivotal in the successful operatieffective delivery of our services. They include vehicle manufacturers, engine component suppliers, fuel suppliers, waste management contractors, cleaning contractors and catering contractors.
Ethical Purchasing
Our purchasing framework is driven by the need to obtain competitive goods and services, ensuring that our suppliers comply with our policy of ethical purchasing.
This year we have introduced powerful new software to the central purchasing function in the UK to enhance this process. It allows us to improve management of substantial data generated as part of the tendering process. This data includes information from our supplier self-assessment questionnaire which contains ethical and environmental elements.
This year we have undertaken an ethical and environmental risk assessment of our largest contracts. A new risk matrix helps purchasing managers to identify risks when setting up new contracts.
A working group has been established to evaluate the transfer of these processes to our North American operations.
We are also seeking to promote Fairtrade and sustainably developed products through the catering facilities on our trains. We already offer Fairtrade tea and coffee on selected services. We will extend availability over the coming year and introduce a range of Fairtrade snacks and biscuits.
Partnership Working
The Group's partnership approach reflects the importance of our suppliers to our business success. In the UK this relationship is formalised through our Supplier Relationship Programme which provides a framework for regular, two-way dialogue with our main suppliers to drive continuous improvement. These relationships are numerous but some examples are provided below.
- In partnerships with our vehicle and engine suppliers we are working on developing new vehicles, trialling technology and delivering fuel efficiency improvements.
- We have an ongoing programme of work with our catering suppliers to improve the quality of the catering on our trains. Last year we developed a Local Sourcing Policy. This year we introduced Fairtrade products to our services and established environmental targets to reduce packaging waste.
- With our waste management contractors we aim to reduce waste by optimising waste collections, method of disposal and recycling rates at our depots and stations.
- This year we introduced biodiesel to the UK Bus division in partnership with BP.
- We work with our design teams to develop design guides and checklists aimed at improving the sustainability of our buildings.
- In partnership with our stationery supplier, we introduced 100% recycled copier paper. With a few exceptions, this is now being used for all our printing and copying.
- Working with our IT hardware suppliers we are reducing the overall energy consumption of the equipment we use.
We will continue to build on these partnerships to ensure we deliver service excellence and manage the ethical and environmental impacts of our supply chain.