By Mike Wilson
We live in a world where information is available at the push of a button, where products are available instantly and all of the time, and where consumers’ demands are constantly developing. Their recognition of risk has expanded beyond the physical boundaries of the products they buy and they seek greater assurance that they are buying goods that have been produced ethically and sourced responsibly.
The rise of the “conscientious consumer” is driving a change in the way that consumers behave and their buying behavior is increasingly being influenced by factors beyond the quality, safety, and legality of their purchases. This means that the way assurance is delivered must change and the non-physical nature of reputational risks associated with human rights abuses and environmental degradation within the supply chain means that programs needs to dig deeper than the point of production or manufacture. Working with suppliers that are known and trusted is fast becoming a key to managing risk and this presentation seeks to elaborate on this principle and apply it to the way consumer assurance is designed and delivered.