OUR APPROACH
Our approach to due diligence follows guidance from international bodies like the OECD and the United Nations.
Every day, we’re taking steps to be more transparent about our supply chain operations, but we know there’s still work to do. We’re committed to learning, improving, and finding new ways to increase transparency and accountability.
Below, you'll see each step we take to support our due diligence setup.
BESTSELLER’s Responsible Sourcing team conducts regular risk assessments to identify salient risks across the supply chain.
Identified risks and adverse impacts are addressed, as a first step, through our supply chain policies and guidelines, which are reviewed and updated when needed according to local, national or international changes and proactively shared with suppliers and factories, with adherence and alignment monitored by our local teams.
Factories producing for BESTSELLER are assessed regularly. In sourcing countries covered by our local offices - which represent more than 95% of our sourcing volume - assessments are conducted by our own teams. In all other sourcing countries, assessments are carried out by third parties. Findings from these assessments feeds into our due diligence and supplier-rating systems, helping to inform purchasing decisions.
Factory monitoring and ongoing engagement enable early identification and resolution of potential and actual issues.
Where relevant, we invest in training and initiatives to address systemic risks.
All the compiled due diligence data is fed back to our head office team, which is responsible for: a) Managing and reducing risks year on year, and b) Steering the supply chain towards achieving BESTSELLER’s responsible business conduct targets
This data also contributes to our external reporting, ensuring transparency and accountability for our due diligence processes.
Continuous improvements
By 2025-26, we’ll start reporting in line with the European Union’s new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and Corporate Sustainability Reporting directives. While we’re already well aligned with these requirements, we recognise that there’s always room for improvement.
Our Supply Chain Due Diligence Report is a step forward in our efforts to be more transparent about how we operate responsibly across our global supply chain. With over 400 suppliers and 700 factories in 15 countries employing around 750,000 people, this is no small task, but it’s something we’re committed to improving year on year.
In parts of our supply chain where risks to human rights may be higher – such as in Myanmar and Bangladesh – we apply enhanced due diligence and closely monitor developments on an ongoing basis. This includes assessing emerging risks linked to political instability, our business presence, and local conditions, and taking steps to address and mitigate potential impacts. To provide transparency on our approach, we publish dedicated due diligence reports that explain our understanding of the risks, the actions we take, and our expectations for suppliers.