Governance

Being a collaborative, trusted partner across the supply chain, helping to tackle common challenges

A trusted partner

We pride ourselves in conducting business honestly, transparently and with integrity – shared values to deliver our shared mission.

To support good governance and ethical behaviour across the business, our actions and those of our people are guided by a series of policies which are constantly reviewed to ensure they continue to meet current best practice principles and legislative requirements.

Sustainable sourcing

We work with our supply chain partners to promote good labour practices, reduce carbon emissions and conserve natural resources, as we strive for excellence in service of creating a safe and secure world, together.

We recognise that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are essential in building a sustainable and resilient supply chain in the UK, playing a vital role in the country’s economy as a key source of innovation, employment and economic growth.

As part of our commitment to support SMEs, we ensure that a significant portion of our procurement spend is allocated to them. In FY23, 24% of our total spend was with SMEs.

We also actively engage with smaller and local suppliers, especially those that help inclusion and under-represented groups. Our SME supplier base is continuously monitored for any risk factors, including cyber security threats, human rights and financial health alerts.

We respect all international treaties, including the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. In the UK, we expect our suppliers and extended supply base to adhere to the Modern Slavery Act 2015, as we do ourselves. We expect all our overseas suppliers to understand and comply with the intent of the Act.

Read our Modern Slavery Transparency statements

Read more about our commitments to Governance in the Annual Sustainability Report.

Innovation and technology

We care about finding the right answers to achieve shared goals: fostering innovation and nurturing lasting relationships to deliver progressive and sustainable business success.

Find out about our involvement in winning the ‘Data for Social Good Award’ for ground-breaking work in highlighting the powerful impact data can have in improving people’s lives.