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Behind the numbers in 2014: Supplier engagement
6th July 2015
Target:
Ensure that action plan meetings are carried out with 100% of key suppliers as identified through our hotspot map
How we did:
In 2014 we held action plan meeting with 6 out of our 11 hot spot suppliers, which is 55%.
The detail:
To go on building a responsible supply chain, we’ve identified 11 key suppliers to work closely with, based on factors including spend, proximity to brand and location. We call these 11 firms our ‘hotspot’ suppliers.
In 2014 we set ourselves the goal of making sure action plan meetings were carried out with 100% of key suppliers as identified through our hotspot map. This target was set just in advance of the acquisition by Liberty Global. The acquisition resulted in some unexpected changes in our procurement function, so we only managed to hold meetings with 55% of our key suppliers. Despite this, the meetings that did take place helped us to better manage risks and opportunities in our supply chain.
For example, working with our uniform supplier Mathias, we identified a number of areas where the supplier could not provide us with evidence that they were adhering to the standard we require. After working with the factory for an agreed period of time, we were not able to resolve some outstanding concerns. Together with Mathias we decided to switch to an alternative factory where all standards are documented and compliance is evidenced. This move did slightly increase costs for us, but together we agreed that it was the right course of action.
We also met with Accenture, who provide a range of services to Virgin Media including finance and accounting, IT based services and project management. Many Accenture employees work alongside Virgin Media employees in our offices across the UK, and through our strong working relationships we’ve been able to encourage the Accenture employees to play an active role in supporting our charitable activity, including our annual Charity Day. In 2014 the Virgin Media account team in Accenture raised a huge £11,296 for charity.
Find out more about our new product goal here.