Revision of a supplier code of conduct for a leading luxury fashion house
Code of conduct | read time: 4 min
Managing risks across global supply chains is a key priority for organisations operating in the luxury sector, where supply networks are often extensive and highly diversified. Given this context, one leading French luxury fashion house worked with GoodCorporation to revise its supplier code of conduct, ensuring it reflected emerging best practice while remaining aligned with the company’s brand, heritage and long-standing supplier relationships.
The company works with a wide range of suppliers, from small artisanal and family-run partners to larger international suppliers. These relationships have often been in place for many years and are central to the way the business operates, requiring an approach that focuses on support, onboarding and improvement rather than disengagement when something goes wrong.
In addition, the existing supplier code Its use also varied across different departments, meaning it was not applied consistently across the organisation.
The project therefore focused not only on updating the content of the code but also on mapping how the supplier code of conduct was used within the organisation and defining supplier expectations to support responsible behaviour across the supply chain.
Our approach
This was more than a drafting exercise to revise an existing document. The client needed GoodCorporation to work alongside them to reflect on their existing processes and how the supplier code was used across the organisation.The focus was on how the supplier code functioned within the supplier management processes and how it supported decision-making across the organisation.
The updated code was designed to cover labour, environmental and ethical standards, setting clear expectations for suppliers while also reflecting the company’s commitments to its partners. It was also intended to support responsible behaviour and raise standards across the supply chain.
A key part of the work was understanding how different internal teams were using the code and where this varied. This required a close review of how it had been embedded into day-to-day processes rather than how it was intended to operate in theory.
The supplier base was also an important consideration, ranging from long-standing artisanal and family-run suppliers to larger international partners. This diversity required careful consideration of how the code should apply across different types of suppliers, ensuring that the standards and expectations could be applied to both direct and indirect suppliers of varying sizes, while maintaining engagement and continuity.
The development of the revised supplier code of conduct was an exercise in stakeholder engagement, driven by the need to ensure it met the objectives and uses of multiple internal teams and could be used effectively as a practical tool across the business. This included balancing higher-level expectations with the operational and enforcement requirements, all the while ensuring it reflected the company’s commitments to its partners.
Scope of work
The project began by working with the client to define the scope of the assignment and clarify requirements. This included stakeholder consultation to understand how the code needed to work across the different internal teams and support supplier management in practice. We also discussed how the revised code would be introduced into existing processes to support consistent use across the organisation.
An assessment of existing and planned supplier management practices was then undertaken. This involved a review of key policies and procedures relating to supplier due diligence, onboarding and ongoing management, alongside interviews with stakeholders across human rights, sustainability, responsible sourcing and legal.
Building on this, GoodCorporation developed a set of recommended topics to include in the revised supplier code, which were informed by document review, interviews, benchmarking against peer organisations and recognised good practice. These recommendations were then tested and refined through workshops with internal stakeholders, focusing on how the code would work in practice and how supplier expectations would sit alongside the company’s own commitments.
The drafting phase was carried out with continued stakeholder input throughout. GoodCorporation also devised the roll-out programme including developing a plan for engaging suppliers with its content to encourage adoption.
Further workshops were then conducted to review the wider policy architecture and ensure the code sat clearly within the organisation’s broader framework.
Why it mattered
Supplier codes of conduct are most effective when used consistently across supplier selection, onboarding and ongoing management. Where different teams use them in different ways, expectations can be applied unevenly across suppliers.
In this case, usage had varied across the business functions depending on how the code had been integrated into existing processes. Strengthening consistency therefore, required clarity on how the document should be used in practice.
In addition to the updated content, the revised code provides a management, supporting a more consistent application of labour, environmental and ethical standards across business functions, while remaining workable within the context of long-standing and diverse supplier relationships.
How GoodCorporation can help
With over twenty years of experience and a unique code of conduct database, GoodCorporation helps organisations develop codes that go beyond statements of intent, creating meaningful documents that reflect ethical commitments and are grounded in how businesses operate in practice. We also work closely with clients to support the effective deployment of codes across the organisation, ensuring they are embedded into relevant processes and used consistently. For more information, visit our code of conduct development page or contact us to speak to a member of the team.
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