Sedex: How Responsible Sourcing Strengthens Supply Chains
Supply chains are facing mounting pressure as shifting regulations, investor scrutiny and rising consumer expectations collide with continued disruption, cost constraints and performance demands.
Forward-looking organisations are moving beyond compliance to harness sustainability intelligence, risk data and responsible sourcing practices that strengthen resilience and boost long-term competitiveness.
At Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE London, 2025, the workshop Sustainability in Your Supply Chains with Sedex will explore how leading businesses are embedding responsible sourcing without compromising operational agility and efficiency.
Led by Martine Hornseth, Sustainability Intelligence Strategist at Sedex, this interactive session will share practical tools and global insights into emerging sustainability risks and compliance requirements.
Register your interest to attend this high-level workshop now.
Please note: these tickets are for C/V/D level executives and a business email address is needed to register. If you do not meet this criteria, your ticket may be cancelled.
Sustainability aligned with supply chain resilience
Supply chain disruptions continue to challenge global business operations.
In 2025, 63% of companies report climate-related disruption across their supply chains - highlighting the urgency for a proactive approach that includes sustainability-focused risk management.
Responsible sourcing, where procurement teams select suppliers based on ESG criteria, serves as both a risk mitigation tool and a competitive advantage.
According to Sedex, sustainable procurement practices improve supply chain transparency, support regulatory compliance and enhance operational resilience. The benefits extend to long-term cost savings and consumer trust, with 50% of global consumers now factoring in environmental impact when choosing which businesses to support.
Sedex provides businesses with a centralised platform to evaluate and improve supplier performance across social and environmental criteria.
Its services include detailed risk assessments, supplier self-assessment questionnaires and the SMETA audit methodology—a recognised framework for ethical trade audits. These tools help procurement teams identify site-specific risks, monitor compliance and implement corrective actions.
With data collected from more than 115,000 supplier sites globally, Sedex supports buyers in managing labour rights, environmental practices and governance concerns.
By giving procurement professionals granular visibility across multi-tier supply chains, the platform enhances stakeholder trust while supporting the shift towards sustainable sourcing.
Sedex also offers collaborative functions and training tools that enable buyers and suppliers to integrate sustainability into daily operations. These features help procurement teams align compliance requirements with practical business delivery.
Responsible sourcing in action
L’Occitane en Provence demonstrates how a business can align product design and sustainability without compromising on quality or performance. The company integrates responsible sourcing into every aspect of its supply chain strategy.
It avoids industrial farming where possible, instead focusing on organic cultivation techniques. One example is its use of immortelle, a plant with anti-ageing properties. Sourced using organic methods, the plant is grown without pesticides and only from wild seeds.
Manual weeding replaces chemical treatment, and eco-extraction replaces synthetic solvents during processing. This approach supports the company’s environmental objectives while maintaining high product standards.
This model is underpinned by local farming networks that preserve traditional agricultural methods and support rural economies.
In sourcing shea butter, L’Occitane works directly with suppliers in Burkina Faso and Ghana. These relationships, in place since 2009, enable fair trade certification and income for local producers, particularly women-led cooperatives.
The company uses scientific data and local expertise to ensure biodiversity and sustainable resource use.
In addition, life cycle assessments evaluate the environmental impact of ingredients and packaging. These audits shape material innovation and ensure the long-term availability of raw materials.
Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE
Sedex’s session at PSC LIVE London will provide attendees with global data insights and real-world guidance on responsible sourcing.
Martine Hornseth will share key trends from Sedex’s risk data, highlighting top issues in human rights and sustainability.
The session explores evolving legislation in the UK and EU and how it affects procurement decisions. These regulatory shifts make it essential for businesses to develop sustainable supply chain strategies that can stand up to compliance requirements while maintaining operational performance.
Attendees will gain access to practical tools that support responsible sourcing, including ways to manage labour rights and align with ESG frameworks. They will also benefit from peer insights as professionals share challenges and solutions from their own complex supply chain contexts.
The session, taking place on 23 September 2025 from 13:30 to 14:15 in Room 2 at the Business Design Centre, aims to equip attendees with actionable steps. It focuses on helping businesses move beyond box-ticking exercises to build sustainable procurement systems that improve both transparency and resilience.
Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE offers a broader platform of keynotes, panels and workshops covering themes such as supplier relationship management, artificial intelligence, logistics, finance and ESG.
As part of this global summit, Sedex’s workshop stands out for its focus on practical, data-backed approaches to sustainability in procurement.
By embedding responsible sourcing into procurement from the outset, businesses can reduce risk, ensure compliance and deliver long-term value.
Register your interest to attend this high-level workshop now.
Please note: these tickets are for C/V/D level executives and a business email address is needed to register. If you do not meet this criteria, your ticket may be cancelled.
