Russian aluminium firm UC Rusal adopted a new responsible procurement policy this week, outlining the standards by which the firm will obtain materials and services going forward.
Per the firm, the policy is meant to define the method by which Rusal selects suppliers and contractors, sets the basic parameters for quality control, the methods by which Rusal acts to protect the environment, and how it acts to safeguard indigenous peoples.
Rusal says the new policy is anchored in both international anti-corruption and anti-bribery regulations as well as Russian and international law.
Rusal’s Chief Sustainability Officer Irina Bakhtina said in a press release that the new policy is an important part of her firm’s relationship with its suppliers.
“Responsible Procurement Policy is an integral part of sustainable business development practices. The adoption of the Policy is another step towards the development of RUSAL’s relations with partners and suppliers. The Company has been conducting a partial assessment of suppliers for many years in a row, taking into account environmental and social criteria. In 2015 we introduced our internal Business Partner Code. This year we randomly tested the ESG accreditation procedure for counterparties, and the Responsible Procurement Policy consolidates our intention to make this procedure mandatory by 2025.”