This week saw the launch of the NQC online platform for the roll out of a joint sustainability questionnaire developed by the European Automotive Working Group on Supply Chain Sustainability.
The joint questionnaire
The European Automotive Working Group on Supply Chain Sustainability, facilitated by CSR Europe, shares the common goal of working together to improve the sustainability performance of automotive supply chains.
The joint questionnaire developed by the Group covers topics in areas such as social and environmental sustainability, business conduct and compliance, and supplier management. The questionnaire is based on the Automotive Industry Guiding Principles to Enhance Sustainability Performance in the Supply Chain.
Common efforts
As the automotive industry has complex value chains and a deep structured supplier base, the Group believes in the benefits of this common approach towards suppliers. The joint questionnaire, and use of a common platform to roll out the questionnaire, marks a significant step towards reaching the Group’s long-term aim of improving sustainability performance of automotive supply chains.
NQC platform
NQC, a UK based provider of supply chain management technology, has been selected by some members of the Group, to provide a common technical platform for the joint questionnaire. NQC will provide members of the Group with core and additional services including the technical platform, to enable suppliers to respond to the questionnaire online, multi-lingual supplier support services, validation of the submitted data and corrective actions plans for suppliers.
This announcement will see a number of the Group members following up individually with their suppliers to complete the joint sustainability questionnaire, from today onwards, on NQC’s platform. Individual members might add individual questions to the joint questionnaire.
Stefan Crets, Executive Director of CSR Europe, said, “Today’s launch of NQC’s common platform is going to significantly reduce the burden on suppliers and those members using the platform.”
NQC Managing Director Charles Morrison said: “Through this combined effort, the automotive industry is taking a lead on driving improved sustainability issues such as environmental management, business conduct and compliance and supplier management. We are delighted to have been chosen to support this important initiative.”