Supply chain SER Conformance

In an outsourced environment, HP acknowledges the challenges of assuring conformance. We are committed to ensuring conformance with our Electronic Industry Code of Conduct (EICC) and General Specification for the Environment (GSE). We are striving to have our overall supply base adhere to world-class social and environmental practices.

Our program is mainly focused on our direct suppliers, also called first tier suppliers, with which HP has signed contracts. HP has over 400 direct material suppliers operating from manufacturing locations around the world. We do not have contracts nor visibility to second, third or fourth tier suppliers, who are selected and managed by our suppliers. Consequently, it is much more complex to monitor and enforce social and environmental responsibility with these suppliers.

HP’s Procurement Management Process defines how our procurement organizations worldwide manage suppliers. Supply chain SER is included in the Supplier Evaluation, Contract Development and Execution Management phases of this process. As part of this evaluation process, we review suppliers’ completed SER self-assessment questionnaire and examine our suppliers' policies and plans, as well as the progress they have made in meeting the goals they have set for themselves. We use a High Performance Supplier Scorecard to evaluate and improve overall supplier performance. The scorecard rating system supports HP’s commitment to continual improvement toward full conformance with the EICC.

We also include social and environmental conformance clauses in our procurement contracts and have implemented the use of a Supplier Social and Environmental Responsibility Agreement to contractually drive supplier performance.

To meet HP's SER conformance expectations, suppliers are required to:

1. comply with all national and other applicable laws and regulations and require their suppliers to do the same (including labor agencies)
2. read and understand HP's Supply Chain Social and Environmental Responsibility Policy
3. meet expectations in the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct
4. review and sign HP's Supplier Social and Environmental Responsibility Agreement
5. follow HP's product content environmental specifications in HP's General Specification for Environment
6. complete and submit the Supplier EICC Self-Assessment Questionnaire for each site that manufactures products for HP
7. Obtain HP's review and feedback of Self-Assessment Questionnaire and create an improvement plan with defined timeline and metrics
8. Participate in periodic onsite audits
9. Provide clear and accurate reporting to HP upon request

Complete and submit the online supplier self-assessment questionnaire

Instructions: Print the questionnaire for review and preparation and then complete and submit the questionnaire online using the EICC internet database – “Electronics - Tool for Accountable Supply Chains (E-TASC)”. For information about E-TASC and how to join and upload questionnaires, please review the information on the E-TASC web site.

Through HP’s onsite SER audits, we review and verify suppliers’ practices and conformance with our standards and their responses to the self-assessment questionnaire.  If HP’s audit teams find nonconformances with the Code, we require the supplier to implement a corrective action plan with timelines for closing the nonconformances.

If an external party identifies credible issues associated with a particular supplier, our policy is to investigate the situation and take appropriate actions. In some cases, we may require independent third-party audits to investigate complaints.

We have the greatest impact on conditions in our supply chain by remaining engaged with suppliers and providing support and tools to raise their capabilities to improve their performance. However, if this approach is rejected by the supplier, HP will not tolerate serious or repeated violations of our Code of Conduct or the General Specifications for the Environment. HP is prepared to discontinue the business relationship.  HP recognizes the negative implications associated with terminating a contract, including loss of jobs for workers, and we prefer to work diligently to collaborate with suppliers to find solutions and continually improve conditions at supplier factories.