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A chief procurement officer (CPO) reviews a tender process and recommendation before making the final submission to the board of directors for approval. The CPO notices that the evaluation team assessed technical and financial capacity but did not conduct an assessment and due diligence on the supplier's environmental, social, governance, anti-bribery, and corruption practices and processes. The CPO has decided to forward the report to the board for approval and seek reassurance from the supplier at a later date once the contract has been signed. Was the CPO's decision the correct one?
Ethical and responsible sourcing requires that environmental, social, governance, anti-bribery and corruption (ESG/ABC) considerations are assessed before contract award, not after. Failure to conduct due diligence exposes the buying organisation to reputational damage, legal sanctions, financial losses, and supply chain disruption. Seeking reassurance post-contract removes leverage and weakens governance controls. CIPS guidance stresses that supplier evaluation must be holistic, covering technical, financial, and ethical compliance to ensure risks are identified and mitigated early. Strategic contracts, in particular, demand robust due diligence to protect organisational integrity and stakeholder trust.