At BIDBI, we believe responsibly produced merchandise should consider more than the materials used or the environmental impact of the finished product. It should also consider the people involved at every stage of its journey.
That is why we are proud to be a Sedex member.
Sedex is a global membership organisation that provides businesses with tools, data and guidance to help them understand their supply chains, identify potential risks and improve their ethical and sustainable business practices.
For BIDBI, membership supports our ongoing commitment to greater transparency, responsible sourcing and continuous improvement. Most importantly, it helps us keep people, working conditions and ethical practices at the heart of our decision-making.
Modern supply chains can be complex, with different organisations involved in sourcing raw materials, manufacturing products, decorating them and delivering them to customers.
Sedex gives businesses a structured way to collect and assess information about working conditions and responsible business practices throughout those supply chains. Its tools cover four important areas:
Through our Sedex membership, BIDBI can work to better understand our supply chain, assess potential social and environmental risks, engage with suppliers and identify where improvements may be required.
It is important to be clear that Sedex membership is not a certification or a guarantee that every part of a supply chain is perfect. Instead, it demonstrates a commitment to using recognised tools and processes to increase visibility, manage risks and support ongoing improvement.
For us, it is not simply a badge. It is part of how we continue developing a more responsible and transparent business.
Behind every bag, garment or promotional product are people. Responsible sourcing helps businesses look beyond the finished item and consider the conditions in which products and materials are made.
Sedex tools help businesses examine important issues that can directly affect workers, including:
Every worker should be able to carry out their job in an environment where health and safety risks are properly understood and managed.
Assessing workplace practices can help identify issues relating to machinery, fire safety, protective equipment, training and general working conditions. Highlighting these risks allows businesses and suppliers to develop appropriate improvement plans.
Responsible employment practices include clear terms of employment, appropriate working hours and fair payment for the work carried out.
Sedex encourages businesses to examine wage and working-hour practices and supports progress towards fairer employment standards, including the ambition for living wages to be paid.
Employment should always be freely chosen. Workers should not be subjected to forced, bonded or involuntary labour, and they should be able to leave their employment in accordance with reasonable contractual terms.
Greater supply-chain visibility helps businesses identify where vulnerable workers may be at increased risk and take appropriate action.
Businesses have a responsibility to understand who is making their products and to work towards ensuring that child labour is not used within their operations or supply chains.
Structured assessments, supplier information and responsible sourcing processes help organisations identify and address potential areas of concern.
Workers should be treated fairly and with respect, regardless of their background or personal characteristics.
Sedex’s approach supports the assessment of policies and practices relating to discrimination, harassment and fair treatment, helping businesses promote safer and more inclusive workplaces.
Ethical trade is not a one-off exercise. Working conditions, suppliers and supply-chain risks can change over time.
Sedex helps businesses take a continuous approach: gathering information, identifying risks, working with suppliers and reviewing progress. This creates opportunities for lasting improvements that can make a meaningful difference to workers.
Our Sedex membership also offers important benefits to organisations choosing BIDBI for their branded bags, clothing and merchandise.
Clients increasingly want to know more about where their products come from and how they are made.
Sedex helps us build a clearer picture of our supply chain and the practices within it. This gives us better information when reviewing suppliers, assessing risks and answering responsible procurement questions.
Choosing merchandise is no longer only about price, print quality and delivery time. Businesses must also consider whether their purchasing choices align with their ethical, social and environmental commitments.
Working with a Sedex member gives clients the reassurance that responsible sourcing is being actively considered and supported through an established framework.
Many organisations now have environmental, social and governance objectives, supplier codes of conduct or ethical procurement policies.
Our Sedex membership can help clients demonstrate that social responsibility and supply-chain risk have been considered when selecting a merchandise partner. This can be particularly valuable when completing supplier assessments, preparing tenders or reporting on responsible purchasing activity.
Poor labour practices, unsafe working conditions and unethical business conduct can create serious risks for workers, suppliers and the brands connected to them.
Sedex tools help businesses identify potential concerns earlier and provide a framework for working with suppliers to improve standards. This supports more informed decisions and can help create stronger, more resilient supply chains.
Every promotional product carrying a client’s logo becomes an extension of that organisation’s brand.
By choosing a supplier that takes responsible sourcing seriously, clients can reduce reputational risk and select merchandise that better reflects their own values.
Our clients want products that look good and perform well, but many also want confidence that their merchandise has been sourced with people and the planet in mind.
Sedex membership helps us turn those values into practical action. It supports better questions, improved visibility and more productive conversations with suppliers.
Being a Sedex member complements BIDBI’s wider approach to responsible and sustainable merchandise.
We recognise that no supply chain stands still and that meaningful progress requires continued attention, collaboration and honest assessment. Sedex provides us with valuable tools to better understand our impact, strengthen supplier relationships and identify opportunities for improvement.
For our workers and the people throughout our supply chain, this means a stronger focus on fair treatment, safety and responsible employment practices.
For our clients, it means working with a merchandise partner that values transparency, takes ethical sourcing seriously and is committed to continual improvement.
When you choose BIDBI, you are not simply choosing a printed product. You are choosing a partner working to make branded merchandise better for businesses, people and the planet.
Looking for responsibly sourced branded bags, clothing or merchandise? Contact the BIDBI team to discuss your next project.
