Sustainable Supply Chains
Promoting responsible sourcing practices and working with suppliers to strengthen sustainability throughout Penn’s supply chain.
Procurement
Penn is committed to responsible sourcing and works with suppliers to promote ethical, environmentally responsible supply chains. As part of this commitment, Procurement Services engages major suppliers to encourage responsible mineral sourcing and compliance with recognized industry standards.
Conflict Mineral Compliance
Penn is aware of the role that minerals found in consumer electronics products play in perpetuating the current humanitarian crisis in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The University is working on ways to monitor compliance of its partners in the technology industry to ensure they are keeping up with industry standards to remedy this situation and others that arise in the future.
Major contracted suppliers of electronics to the University belong to the Electronic Industry Citizen Coalition (EICC) an organization devoted to improving social and environmental conditions in electronics supply chains. The EICC requires its members to follow a Code of Conduct which provides guidance in five critical areas of Corporate Social Responsibility performance – labor, health and safety, environment, management system and ethics.
As the EICC Code of Conduct does not yet specifically address the issue of conflict minerals, Penn has reached out to its major electronics suppliers to express concern about this issue and to request information about their efforts to ensure that the components they purchase throughout their supply chain are conflict free.
We are aware that there have been recent legislative and industry wide efforts to address the issue of conflict minerals. This includes the launch by the EICC in partnership with Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) of their Conflict-Free Smelter (CFS) program and the completion of the first tantalum smelter assessment.
Penn’s major contract suppliers, through their participation with the EICC have indicated their interest in addressing the issue of conflict minerals and as these initiatives move forward, Penn is committed to supporting and encouraging efforts by the EICC and others to deal with this complex issue.
Below is further information regarding policies from each of Penn’s major computer suppliers:
Requirements for Apparel Licensees
The University of Pennsylvania is committed to responsible sourcing and ethical manufacturing practices. As recommended by the University’s Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility, Penn requires apparel licensees producing collegiate apparel in Bangladesh to participate in the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and to comply with its requirements.
As part of the apparel licensing and renewal process, Procurement Services verifies whether apparel licensees source, produce, or purchase collegiate apparel in Bangladesh. Suppliers that do are required to demonstrate that they are signatories to the Accord before renewing their license with the University.
Penn’s commitment reflects concerns about worker safety and labor conditions within the global apparel industry. The University relies on the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility—a committee composed of Penn faculty, students, staff, and administrators—to evaluate labor practices and corporate social responsibility issues related to licensed apparel. The committee provides recommendations to University leadership and helps ensure Penn’s licensing practices align with its values.
For additional information about Penn’s apparel licensing requirements and responsible sourcing practices, please select the link below.