The COOK Supplier Code of Conduct

Working together 

PURPOSE

As we hope you know, COOK’s purpose is to inspire business to benefit everybody by making good food, running a good business and nurturing good relationships with our people, suppliers, communities and planet.

To make sure we do this, we have created our code of conduct so that we can be clear about what you can expect from a relationship with us, and what we expect from you as a supplier to our business. 

Please acknowledge the code by filling out and signing the section at the end. This is a prerequisite of doing business with COOK for all suppliers whether of ingredients, products or services.

Compliance with the code

Some elements of the code are non-negotiable (the prerequisites listed below). Others indicate a direction of travel and can be worked towards over time. Compliance with the code is expected from all suppliers and their own upstream suppliers. We reserve the right to verify this through audits, information requests or visits as required. 

Support

We recognise that putting in place new social, environmental and sustainability metrics may not happen overnight. Acceptance of the code is a commitment on your behalf to work with us towards a more sustainable future. COOK will provide help and support wherever we can for example through helping to establish milestones or developing longer-term agreements to ensure continuous improvement.

Legal compliance

All operations must be undertaken within the legal framework of the country of operation and comply with legal requirements in the country of use. 

Confidentiality

All discussions, shared data and knowledge will remain confidential between us at all times unless otherwise mutually agreed.

Feedback

We really value our business relationships and welcome feedback either formally or informally.  Six months into a new relationship and annually thereafter, we will ask you to share feedback with us so that we can celebrate the good stuff and work to fix stuff that’s not so great! The questions can be accessed here. All responses are treated confidentially (but it can help us to work on things if you tell us who you are!).

The Code

Prerequisites:

People:

 Fairness:  All employees whether permanent or contracted are expected to be treated with fairness and without being subjected to any form of discrimination or psychological, physical, sexual or verbal abuse or harassment.

All contact with COOK staff or associates will be conducted with respect and fairness at all times.

 Child Labour:  The use of child labour by any supplier or its associates is strictly prohibited

 Young Workers:  If young employees are used they must not be subjected to any conditions that may harm physical, mental or emotional development.

 Working Hours:  All employees must work within local laws and mandatory standards to ensure that breaks, rest days, total hours, holiday etc. are fairly provided and managed.

 Employment Practices:  Only employees who are legally eligible to work may be employed in any capacity. All work shall be voluntary and workers must be free to leave work or terminate their employment after reasonable notice.

Employees must be provided with wages and benefits that, as a minimum, comply with all national legal requirements and must be enough to meet the basic needs of employees and their dependants.

Suppliers should be aiming to implement enhanced employment practices that benefit employees and their families wherever possible

We expect all Staff or Contractors to your business to have appropriate and easily accessible channels through which to express grievances or exchange views frankly and honestly.

These will be responded to or resolved within agreed timescales. 

 Modern Slavery:  COOK is committed to ensuring that no part of its supply chain, or those that come into contact with it, benefit from activities connected with modern slavery. We expect our suppliers to be taking appropriate steps to guard against modern slavery. 

Safety

 Workplace environment:  All employees must have a safe and healthy working environment with adequate lighting, potable drinking water, risk protection and adequate PPE as required.

 Crisis Management:   A documented crisis plan must be in place to cover worker safety, emergency training and first aid as well as disaster recovery managing product availability, safety and welfare in the event of partial or total loss of facilities. 

 Product Safety:  All products and services delivered by the supplier must meet the quality, legal and safety standards required both by law and to comply with COOK requirements  

Business ethics

COOK requires all suppliers to comply with all applicable ethical trading laws and regulations in the countries where materials are sourced, produced and delivered.

Written policies must be in place prohibiting bribery, corruption and similarly prohibited business practices.

Any conflict of interest that may affect the relationship between a supplier and COOK must be declared and all intellectual property rights must be respected.

Suppliers must agree to reasonable requests for the sharing of information in a spirit of transparency.

What you can expect from us

We want to build a long-term relationship that enables us to enjoy shared prosperity in the future.

So as a Supplier to COOK you can expect the following:

• Won’t negotiate you to a point of discomfort (We all need to make a profit)
• Will pay you on time
• Will be respectful and polite in our dealings with you or your representatives
• Will be honest and open
• Will honour orders given in good faith even if we no longer need the product
• Will give you honest feedback if you want it

Developmental areas

We want to keep working will all of our suppliers in an open and honest partnership. We'd love to work with you to define and achieve your goals (we're working on defining and achieving ours too!). 

So please rate where you think you are in each area and use the space at the bottom of the page to let us know if there are any areas where we could work together or offer you support. We hope this can be a way for us all to improve and grow and of course do always feel free to continue to give us a call if you ever need anything. 

If you don't yet have a code for the form below please get in touch with Ashleigh and she'll provide or contact a member of the team by emailing foodtech@cookfood.net or call us on 01732883040.