Our Supply Chain
Our community of Supply Chain professionals are embedded within our business units - ensuring best practice supply chain management within their local context.
We partner with a broad range of organisations across the energy lifecycle who work with us to ensure safe, secure and responsible generation and to deliver fair value, better service and simplicity to our customers
We recognise the importance of suppliers as stakeholders to our business and understand that our responsibilities extend beyond our own direct activities through our supply chain associations. We therefore expect our suppliers to share our ambitions and emulate our values to ensure safe, sustainable business partnerships.
Supporting our suppliers
Cash-flow is vital to all businesses (including us) and to assist our suppliers we continue to offer our Santander backed Supply Chain Financing scheme. This allows suppliers to get early access to payment - for a small charge – for invoices which we have cleared and approved through our payment process. Payment can be available significantly in advance of contract payment terms. We have also created a handy questions and answers document which provides information and understanding.
We encourage our suppliers to utilise our Tungsten eInvoicing Portal. Using the Portal is quicker (fewer process steps as compared to handling traditional invoices) and also removes paper from the payment chain.
How EDF and our supply chain are helping Britain to achieve Net Zero
EDF group, of which we are part, has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The group confirmed this ambition in 2020 by signing the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C commitment” and, as a result, is part of the global Race to Zero campaign for the COP26 Climate Summit in November 2021, you can read more about EDFs global commitments.
EDF in the UK’s purpose is helping Britain achieve Net Zero by leading the transition to a cleaner, low emission electric future and tackling climate change - read more about our sustainability progress update.
EDF recognises that business has a key role to play in the transition to a net zero economy in the UK by 2050 and we encourage our suppliers to join us in committing to take real action to combat climate change in the following ways;
EDF is associated with the UK government-endorsed network, the UK Business Group Alliance for Net Zero (BGA), through its membership of some of the country’s leading business groups and through this is supporting UK business action on climate change.
In our day to day activities we work with our suppliers to identify innovation, processes and initiatives that improve the sustainability of our operations:
Supplier information management kit
The Supplier Information Management Portal enables existing suppliers to maintain their master data and prospective business partners to register their interest in working with us.
Companies registering interest will become visible to internal business users who can initiate a new supplier request for review by the appropriate supply chain team.
Nuclear New Build supplier opportunities
Join our supply chain and become part of our plans to build a more sustainable future.
Find out more
The information below gives more detail on the standards and expectations of our suppliers in relation to safety, sustainability, ethics, quality, standards of conduct and contracting.
Health and Safety Management
Our aim is zero harm to people and the communities we serve.
On-site suppliers shall be expected to provide evidence of a health and safety management system that meets ISO 45001 accreditation (UKAS Accredited or equivalent), endorsed by senior management within their organisation and/or will be subject to local mitigation during service delivery'.
Under specific circumstances suppliers will be expected to provide evidence of Achilles Verify accreditation or a defined plan that is acceptable to EDF Energy to achieve accreditation within a reasonable time period.
Sustainability and Ethics Manual
EDF requires its supply chain partners to operate in a manner that demonstrates the same commitment to sustainable, responsible and ethical business that EDF required of its own people and business activities.
Our Sustainability and Ethics Manual sets out EDF’s expectations in relation to sustainability and ethics, as well as ethical business. As such it does not replace the terms of business set out in any contract or purchase order. However, compliance with these expectations is a deciding factor when EDF selects the third parties that comprise its supply chain.
The sustainability and ethics requirements outlined in the Sustainability and Ethics Manual apply to all suppliers and sub-contractors in receipt of purchase orders, contracts or tender enquiries from EDF in relation to the provision of works, materials, goods and services.
Quality
Suppliers providing products or services identified as carrying a quality risk shall be expected to provide evidence of a quality management system that meets ISO9001 accreditation (UKAS Accredited or equivalent), endorsed by a senior manager within their organisation and/or will be subject to local mitigation during product or service delivery.
Under specific circumstances suppliers shall be expected to provide evidence of Achilles Verify or provide a defined plan that is acceptable to EDF Energy to achieve accreditation within a reasonable time period.
We require our vendors to understand and mitigate the supply of Counterfeit, Suspect and Fraudulent Goods. It is necessary that there is a recognition and awareness of this risk. Businesses must understand the extent of the risk and what can be done to support mitigation.
Watch our Counterfeit, Fraudulent and Suspect Items awareness video
Suppliers providing products or services identified as carrying a quality risk shall be expected to provide evidence of a quality management system that meets ISO9001 accreditation (UKAS Accredited or equivalent), endorsed by a senior manager within their organisation and/or will be subject to local mitigation during product or service delivery.
Under specific circumstances suppliers shall be expected to provide evidence of Achilles Verify or provide a defined plan that is acceptable to EDF Energy to achieve accreditation within a reasonable time period.
We require our vendors to understand and mitigate the supply of Counterfeit, Suspect and Fraudulent Goods. It is necessary that there is a recognition and awareness of this risk. Businesses must understand the extent of the risk and what can be done to support mitigation.
Standards of conduct
On-site suppliers shall be expected to adhere to EDF Energy’s Code of Conduct covering non-EDF Energy employees.
Suppliers engaging with our customers shall be expected to behave and carry out any actions in a fair, honest, transparent, appropriate and professional manner.
UN Global Compact Compliance
Suppliers shall be expected to demonstrate compliance with the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact by participating in our UNGC Compliance qualification process and any resulting supplier development activity.
Supplier Diversity and Inclusion
Suppliers shall respect and emulate our commitment to diversity and inclusion by applying our seven Diversity & Inclusion Principles within their business.
Terms and conditions
Suppliers shall comply with EDF Energy’s Standard Terms & Conditions which include payment terms of 60 days from date of invoice receipt.