Ignitis Group is to involve suppliers in strengthening the sustainability of the sector by improving their business practices
Ignitis Group is launching a new initiative to help its suppliers comply with the requirements of the Supplier Code of Ethics. It will publish business-related information, such as expert reports, green procurement trends, news on applicable standards, environmental criteria and requirements, on the Group's website. Regular updates will help procurement participants to comply with the Group's Supplier Code of Ethics and strengthen their engagement in tackling sustainability issues.
"The Supplier Code of Ethics and educating market players about green procurement are really important tools to encourage suppliers to pay more attention to sustainable development, corporate social responsibility objectives, business ethics and transparent competition in public procurement. This initiative can contribute to establishing responsible and sustainable public procurement practices and is to be welcomed," says Darius Vedrickas, Director of Public Procurement Office.
After assessing suppliers’ compliance with the sustainable business practices defined in the Group's Supplier Code of Conduct, Ignitis Group has identified areas of improvement for the partners. The assessment revealed that some of the companies still did not apply preventive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, incorporate circular economy principles into their business or implement the changes of the Labour Code of the Republic of Lithuania which define the rights of employees to this day. Based on the findings, relevant training material has been prepared. It will be continuously updated based on the areas of improvement for our business partners involved in the supply chain.
"No business operates in a vacuum, and our business partners and suppliers play an important role in helping us achieve our sustainability goals. Without their involvement and a focused movement across the value chain towards more sustainable practices, it would be extremely difficult to build an energy sector that meets today's challenges and needs. Therefore, as one of the leaders in the energy sector in the region, Ignitis Group is taking initiative and, by applying sustainable procurement practices and complying with the high standards applicable to them, will endeavour to fulfil its sustainability commitments and drive positive change in the market," says Inga Macijauskienė, Head of Procurement at Ignitis Group.
To encourage suppliers to form a more sustainable partnership, Ignitis Group took the first steps a couple of years ago, when the Group's Supplier Code of Ethics was first prepared and published. Last year, the company developed and launched a system for monitoring the compliance with the Supplier Code of Ethics, which helps monitor and reasonably assess partners in terms of their sustainability practices. Ignitis Group decided to go beyond the processes and practices already in place for monitoring and assessing the supply chain’s compliance with sustainability practices and expects that the development and implementation of the new initiative of sharing sustainability-related information with suppliers will accelerate the progress of suppliers in improving their sustainability practices.
