Michelin twice recognised for responsible purchasing

Michelin has gained the Supplier Relations and Responsible Purchasing Label (Label Relations Fournisseurs & Achats Responsables, or RFAR), a recognition given to distinguish French companies that demonstrate lasting and balanced relationships with their suppliers. This distinction follows the recent receipt of a certificate of maturity for purchasing practices in relation to the new ISO 20400 sustainable procurement standard.

The RFAR label was awarded to Michelin in April by a committee comprising the Companies Mediator and the French National Purchasing Council (Conseil National des Achats, or CNA). Michelin was officially welcomed as a ‘labelee’ at a ceremony held at the offices of France’s Ministry for the Economy and Finance in Paris on 25 June. Hélène Vermont, group purchasing sustainable development manager, and Frédéric Joudrier, group purchasing operations director, attended on the tyre maker’s behalf.

A total of 45 companies have obtained RFAR label status so far; Michelin comments that it is currently the only company awarded this label on a worldwide scope.

The RFAR label was adopted in 2017, replacing the 2012-created Responsible Supplier Relations Label, which Michelin obtained in 2014. The new RFAR label is closely linked to the ISO 20400 standard and is a continuation of the approach initiated in 2010 by the Companies Mediator and the CNA through the creation of the Responsible Supplier Relations Charter, which Michelin signed in 2012.

The ISO 20400-related certificate of maturity, issued by an approved external company, was awarded to Michelin in April and recognises its practices at an evidence level. As such, it recognises the efforts of the Michelin Group’s purchasing teams and their internal partners in relation to responsible purchasing practices.

Published in 2017, the ISO 20400 standard provides organisations, regardless of size or type of business, with guidelines for integrating corporate social responsibility into their purchasing processes. It is intended for use by stakeholders involved in or impacted by purchasing decisions and processes. As a recommendatory standard, it does not involve certifications, rather only maturity assessments.