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Ethical Merch Co's Journey Towards Ethically Sourced Promo Goods
Applicable Industries
- Apparel
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Procurement
Use Cases
- Supply Chain Visibility
The Challenge
Ethical Merch Co, an Australian manufacturer and reseller of promo goods and branded apparel, faced a significant challenge as it began to grow and acquire large non-profit customers. While price was a crucial factor for their customers, Ethical Merch Co understood that brand reputation was even more critical. The company was faced with the challenge of providing their clients with ethically sourced products, a task that required a deep understanding of their supply chain and the ability to ensure ethical practices at every level. The company's Managing Director, Nathan Kingston, recognized the need to partner with a company that shared their strong business ethics and could help them meet this challenge.
About The Customer
Ethical Merch Co's customers are primarily large non-profit organizations. These customers value not only the price of the promo goods and branded apparel they purchase but also the reputation of the brands they associate with. They are interested in ethically sourced products and are keen on partnering with companies that can provide such goods. These customers also look at SAQ and SMETA audit data, indicating a strong interest in the ethical practices of their suppliers. By choosing to work with Ethical Merch Co, these customers are demonstrating a commitment to responsible sourcing and ethical business practices.
The Solution
Ethical Merch Co partnered with Sedex, a company known for its strong business ethics, to meet the challenge of providing ethically sourced products. Sedex helped Ethical Merch Co educate themselves and others in their supply chain about responsible business. Ethical Merch Co used Sedex SAQ data, SMETA audit data, and a bespoke questionnaire, supplemented by telephone interviews, to map and explore their supply chain. They were able to map their first tier of supply chain and for some products, they mapped further tiers. This allowed Ethical Merch Co to educate both their customers and their suppliers about the value of responsible business. Additionally, Ethical Merch Co produced an Ethical Sourcing Roadmap, a business plan, and a code of conduct to address their growth ambitions in the most sustainable way. They also voluntarily produced and submitted a Modern Slavery Statement, despite not being required to by law.
Operational Impact
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