Supply chain due diligence is a process in which a company researches and investigates potential suppliers to identify any risks associated with those businesses. Typically these risks will range from legislative and governance issues to ethical and environmental concerns. For example, companies may need to ensure that the suppliers they work with are not involved in practices such as money laundering, child labor, human trafficking, corruption and bribery, and environmental damage.
By implementing a supply chain due diligence policy, companies can identify any risks from working with different suppliers. Increasingly, supply chain due diligence is used to ascertain whether proposed suppliers align with the company's ESG goals and requirements. As a result of this due diligence, companies can then decide whether to work with specific suppliers and whether suppliers should be asked to take any corrective action before carrying out work for the company.
