Skip Navigation
United Kingdom

Code of Practice in Supply Chains (UK0087)

Overview

At-a-Glance

Action Plan: United Kingdom – Third National Action Plan 2016-18

Action Plan Cycle: 2016

Status: Inactive

Institutions

Lead Institution: Welsh Government

Support Institution(s): Public sector organisations in Wales Businesses and third sector organisations in Wales

Policy Areas

Labor, Open Contracting and Procurement, Subnational

IRM Review

IRM Report: United Kingdom End-of-Term Report 2016-2018, United Kingdom Mid-Term Report 2016-2018

Starred: No

Early Results: Marginal

Design i

Verifiable: Yes

Relevant to OGP Values: Not Relevant

Potential Impact:

Implementation i

Completion:

Description

Commitment text: Welsh Government will develop a code for ethical supply chain behaviour,
that will ensure awareness and understanding of actions to mitigate against ethical supply chain
issues.
Objective: To achieve high levels of sign-up to 12 commitments aimed at promoting the legal
and ethical treatment of workers.
Status quo: Unethical and illegal treatment of workers in public sector supply chains.
Ambition: One ambition of this piece of work is to raise awareness of the prevalence of modern
slavery in our supply chains and take actions to address areas of high risk.
Another ambition is to raise and level the playing field in Wales so that suppliers that wish to
employ workers ethically are not disadvantaged in bidding for public contracts.
A third ambition is to encourage the more widespread adoption of the Living Wage Foundation’s
Living Wage (based on the costs of living).
Milestones:
1. First draft completed and introduced at Procurex
2. Task and Finish Group established and first meeting set-up
3. Engagement with business and third sector
4. Ethical supply chain code launch
5. Sign-up

IRM End of Term Status Summary

7. Code of Practice for Ethical Employment in Supply Chains (Wales)

Commitment text:Welsh Government will develop a code for ethical supply chain behaviour, that will ensure awareness and understanding of actions to mitigate against ethical supply chain issues.

Objective:To achieve high levels of sign-up to 12 commitments aimed at promoting the legal and ethical treatment of workers.

Status quo:Unethical and illegal treatment of workers in public sector supply chains.

Ambition:One ambition of this piece of work is to raise awareness of the prevalence of modern slavery in our supply chains and take actions to address areas of high risk.

Another ambition is to raise and level the playing field in Wales so that suppliers that wish to employ workers ethically are not disadvantaged in bidding for public contracts.

A third ambition is to encourage the more widespread adoption of the Living Wage Foundation's Living Wage (based on the costs of living).

Milestones:

1. First draft completed and introduced at Procurex

2. Task and Finish Group established and first meeting set-up

3. Engagement with business and third sector

4. Ethical supply chain code launch

5. Sign-up

Responsible institution: Welsh government

Supporting institutions: Public sector organisations in Wales Businesses and third sector organisations in Wales

Start date: March 2016

End date: Early 2017

Commitment Aim:

The Welsh Government committed to a code for ethical supply chains based on 12 separate parts, including a Code of Practice, guidance to help staff spot potential abuse and questions to be asked in the tender process. The government would publish and champion the new code, with organisations in Wales being asked to sign up. In particular, ‘all organisations that receive funding from Welsh Government, either directly or via grants or contracts'.[Note 221: Welsh Government, ‘Code of practice: Ethical employment in supply chains', http://gov.wales/topics/improvingservices/bettervfm/code-of-practice/?lang=en ]

The code will help prevent aspects of poor treatment relating to ‘terms and conditions of employment, including zero hours contracts, Umbrella Schemes and False Self-Employment'.[Note 222: Welsh Government, ‘Code of Practice for Ethical Employment launched', http://gov.wales/newsroom/finance1/2017/58948814/?lang=en ] While the commitment addresses an important issue, as written the activities lacked a public-facing element. Additionally, it was unclear if the commitment would release information on supply chains to the public or allow broader public scrutiny of the information or the processes.

If fully implemented with sufficient co-operation and sign-ups, the commitment could have a potentially transformative impact. It could create a set of stronger ethical guidelines for a range of businesses and organisations.

Status

Midterm: Substantial

Milestones 1 through 4 were all on track and completed within the timeframe of the action plan.[Note 223: Interview with Rhiannon Caunt, Welsh Government, 6 September 2017. ] The code was launched at the Procurex event in October 2016.[Note 224: Public Spend Forum Europe, ‘Ethical Employment In Supply Chains – Wales Takes The Lead', http://publicspendforumeurope.com/2016/10/24/ethical-employment-in-supply-chains-wales-takes-the-lead/ ] It was then developed with the support of the Workforce Partnership Council and social partners including Unions and released on 29 March 2017 in line with the timetable.[Note 225: Welsh Government, ‘Code of Practice for Ethical Employment launched', http://gov.wales/newsroom/finance1/2017/58948814/?lang=en%5D So far, according to the Welsh Government's self-assessment, all universities and police forces have signed up and ‘one local authority, two housing associations and over 25 businesses and third sector organisations'.[Note 226: Welsh Government (2017), UK Open Government, National Action Plan Welsh Government Mid-Term Self-Assessment Report (draft document accessed by author November 2017)]

End of term: Complete

The commitment is complete given the commitment aimed to have sign-ups from different sectors without a particular target. The self-assessment of December 2017 spoke of ongoing activity – to raise awareness of the Code and increase sign-up'.[Note 227: Welsh Government (2017), National Action Plan Welsh Government Mid-Term Self-Assessment Report]

An FOI request to the Welsh government in April 2018 found progress from the midterm report.[Note 228: Response to this FOI request asking for details of sign-ups, whatdotheyknow.com (2018), and ‘Code of Practice for ethical supply chains', https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/code_of_practice_for_ethical_emp_3, and background data https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/477276/response/1155260/attach/html/4/ATISN%2012235%202018%2005%2009%20FOI%20Information%20Requested.pdf.html%5D The government reported that 83 organisations have signed up. This included nine local councils and a number of Welsh police forces (including Caerphilly, Cardiff, Ceredigion, Anglesey, Pembrokeshire, Rhonda Cwm Taff, Swansea, Powys and Wrexham). In total, 22 public bodies and 39 private sector organisations had signed up.

Did It Open Government?

Access to Information: Marginal

The commitment was aimed at preventing unethical and illegal treatment in supply chains and employment. Although it did not fit any OGP values specifically, the work on this commitment created a marginal change in access to information by making public the commitment of a growing range of bodies (both government and private) to ethical supply chain. These commitments were not previously public information. It also affected behaviour and activism around issues of contracts and employment rights. As one example, a member of the Trade Union UNISON spoke of how the Code had been used in campaigns against zero-hours contracts.[Note 229: ITV News (2018), ‘Reported cases of modern day slavery doubles in a year', 3 August 2018, http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2018-08-23/56-rise-in-reported-cases-of-modern-day-slavery/; BBC (2018), Zero-hours employers should not get Welsh Government aid, AMs say,

23 May 2018, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-44224124 ]

Carried Forward?

This commitment is not being carried forward.

United Kingdom's Commitments

  1. Grants Data

    UK0090, 2019, E-Government

  2. Public Participation

    UK0091, 2019, E-Government

  3. Open Policy Making

    UK0092, 2019, Public Participation

  4. Open Contracting Data

    UK0093, 2019, E-Government

  5. Natural Resource Transparency

    UK0094, 2019, E-Government

  6. Innovation in Democracy Programme

    UK0095, 2019, Public Participation

  7. Sustainable Open Government

    UK0096, 2019, Capacity Building

  8. Local Transparency

    UK0097, 2019, E-Government

  9. Beneficial Ownership – UK

    UK0063, 2016, Beneficial Ownership

  10. Natural Resource Transparency

    UK0064, 2016, Extractive Industries

  11. Anti-Corruption Strategy

    UK0065, 2016, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  12. Anti-Corruption Innovation Hub

    UK0066, 2016, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  13. Open Contracting

    UK0067, 2016, E-Government

  14. Grants Data

    UK0068, 2016, E-Government

  15. Elections Data

    UK0069, 2016, Capacity Building

  16. Revising Freedom of Information Act Code of Practice

    UK0070, 2016, Open Contracting and Procurement

  17. Identifying and Publishing Core Data Assets

    UK0071, 2016, Legislation & Regulation

  18. Involving Data Users in Shaping the Future of Open Data

    UK0072, 2016, Capacity Building

  19. Better Use of Data Assets

    UK0073, 2016, Capacity Building

  20. GOV.UK

    UK0074, 2016, Open Data

  21. Ongoing Collaborative Approach to Open Government Reform

    UK0075, 2016, E-Government

  22. Open Government at All Levels

    UK0076, 2016, OGP

  23. Open Policy-Making and Public Engagement

    UK0077, 2016, Capacity Building

  24. Public Sector Innovation

    UK0078, 2016, Capacity Building

  25. OCDS Implementation

    UK0079, 2016, E-Government

  26. Open-Up Government

    UK0080, 2016, Capacity Building

  27. Open Data Plan

    UK0081, 2016, E-Government

  28. Open Data Service

    UK0082, 2016, Capacity Building

  29. Statswales

    UK0083, 2016, E-Government

  30. Data Research Centre Wales

    UK0084, 2016, E-Government

  31. Government Social Research Publication Protocol

    UK0085, 2016, E-Government

  32. Gov.Wales

    UK0086, 2016, E-Government

  33. Code of Practice in Supply Chains

    UK0087, 2016, Labor

  34. Starred commitment National Indicators for Wales

    UK0088, 2016, Fiscal Transparency

  35. Starred commitment Well-Being Duty

    UK0089, 2016, E-Government

  36. National Information Infrastructure

    UK0042, 2013, Records Management

  37. NHS England Website and Network

    UK0043, 2013, Health

  38. Revised Local Authories Data Transparency Code

    UK0044, 2013, Capacity Building

  39. Transparent Social Investment Market

    UK0045, 2013, Open Data

  40. Manage and Capture Digital Records

    UK0046, 2013, Capacity Building

  41. Starred commitment Cross-Government Anti-Corruption Plan

    UK0047, 2013, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  42. Starred commitment Company Beneficial Ownership Information

    UK0048, 2013, Beneficial Ownership

  43. Access to Police Records

    UK0049, 2013, Justice

  44. Transparency in Construction

    UK0050, 2013, Infrastructure & Transport

  45. Legislative Openness

    UK0051, 2013, Beneficial Ownership

  46. Whistleblowing

    UK0052, 2013, Legislation & Regulation

  47. Open Contracting

    UK0053, 2013, Open Contracting and Procurement

  48. Open Contracting Scotland

    UK0054, 2013, E-Government

  49. Starred commitment International Aid Transparency

    UK0055, 2013, Aid

  50. Health Care Data

    UK0056, 2013, Health

  51. Open Policy Making

    UK0057, 2013, E-Government

  52. Sciencewise

    UK0058, 2013, E-Government

  53. Publication of Draft Legislation

    UK0059, 2013, Legislature

  54. Opendatacommunities Programme

    UK0060, 2013, E-Government

  55. PSI Re-Use Directive

    UK0061, 2013, Legislation & Regulation

  56. Starred commitment Extractive Transparency

    UK0062, 2013, E-Government

  57. Ensuring a Clear Process to Support Reduction in Collection of ‘Unnecessary Data’

    UK0024, 2011, E-Government

  58. Developing Data.Gov.Uk and Identifying Other Digital Channels to Support Users

    UK0025, 2011,

  59. Evidence and Databases Behind Policy Statements

    UK0026, 2011, E-Government

  60. Data Underlying Surveys

    UK0027, 2011, E-Government

  61. Examining Ways for Improving the Use of Existing Published Data

    UK0028, 2011, E-Government

  62. Stimulate the Market for Innovative Use of Open Data

    UK0029, 2011, Open Data

  63. Spend up to 5% of Budget Support on Accountability

    UK0030, 2011, E-Government

  64. Include the OGP Eligibility Criteria to Determine Readiness for UK Budget Support

    UK0031, 2011, Aid

  65. Publish Aid Information from All ODA Government Departments

    UK0032, 2011, Aid

  66. Use a Single Domain for Government Services

    UK0033, 2011, E-Government

  67. Mandate ‘Channel Shift’

    UK0034, 2011, E-Government

  68. Go Online for All Consultations

    UK0035, 2011, E-Government

  69. Develop Practical Guidelines on Departmental Access to Internet and Social Media

    UK0036, 2011, Civic Space

  70. Open Data and Application Interfaces in Ways That Encourage Businesses

    UK0037, 2011, E-Government

  71. Create Cross-Government Standards on APIs

    UK0038, 2011,

  72. Establish Standardised Formats for User-Satisfaction Data

    UK0039, 2011, Records Management

  73. Provide Government Documents in Open Standard Format

    UK0040, 2011, E-Government

  74. Implement Crowd-Sourcing and Engagement Processes

    UK0041, 2011,

  75. New Power to Secure Release of Valuable Datasets

    UK0001, 2011,

  76. New, Higher Cost Cap for FOI

    UK0002, 2011, Right to Information

  77. Meaningful Disincentives

    UK0003, 2011,

  78. Maximum Time Limits

    UK0004, 2011, Right to Information

  79. Altered Procurement Rules

    UK0005, 2011,

  80. Mandating Phased Introduction of ‘Public by Default’

    UK0006, 2011, E-Government

  81. Formalising Public Data Principles

    UK0007, 2011, Records Management

  82. Having in Place an Open Data Compliance Monitoring Process

    UK0008, 2011, Records Management

  83. Making Clear the Minimum Citizens Can Expect on Publication and Quality of Data

    UK0009, 2011,

  84. Ensuring a Line of Continuous Improvement for Public Service Providers

    UK0010, 2011, Open Data

  85. Encourage Continuous Improvement

    UK0011, 2011, Records Management

  86. Setting Out How Citizens Can Challenge Where There Is Failure in the Process

    UK0012, 2011, Public Participation

  87. Establishing an Obligation to Consider and Act on User Feedback

    UK0013, 2011, Public Participation

  88. Making Clear That Licenses Must Cover Free, Commercial Re-Use

    UK0014, 2011,

  89. Merge Information Asset Registers…Into a Single Data Inventory

    UK0015, 2011,

  90. Set Consistent Expectations of the Appropriate Quality of Meta-Data

    UK0016, 2011, Records Management

  91. For Data Co-Ordinated Across Government, Set Definitions

    UK0017, 2011, E-Government

  92. Introducing Corporate Responsibility at Transparency Board Level

    UK0018, 2011, Records Management

  93. Strengthening and Broadening the Public Sector Transparency Board

    UK0019, 2011, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  94. Bringing the Sector Transparency Board Model to Other Parts of Public Sector

    UK0020, 2011, Anti-Corruption Institutions

  95. Reviewing the Existing Governance and Regulatory Model

    UK0021, 2011, Records Management

  96. Establishing a Framework for Public Service Providers Data Inventories

    UK0022, 2011, Records Management

  97. Developing a Clear Methodology to Support Intelligent Inventories

    UK0023, 2011, Records Management