ARMOR Print Solutions, an ARMOR GROUP company, announced in January 2023 that it had been awarded the “Responsible Supplier Relations and Purchasing” label by the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Recovery.
This certification distinguishes French companies that have demonstrated sustainable and balanced relations with their suppliers. Awarded to all ARMOR GROUP activities, the company said that the label illustrates ARMOR Print Solutions’ commitment and continuous improvement approach to supplier relations and responsible purchasing.
“At ARMOR Print Solutions, we are committed to supporting public and private sector players in their responsible purchasing initiatives by sharing best practices and methodologies in the form of guides and webinars. At the same time, we are piloting our own internal continuous improvement process involving all our stakeholders. Obtaining the “Responsible Supplier Relations and Purchasing” label today is a great source of pride for our teams and an illustration of our commitment in this area,” commented Gerwald van der Gijp, Managing Director of ARMOR Print Solutions.
The first and only label in this area awarded by the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Recovery, through the Corporate Mediator, and in collaboration with the National Purchasing Council (CNA), the Responsible Purchasing and Supplier Relations label (RFAR) distinguishes French companies or public entities that have demonstrated sustainable and balanced relations with their suppliers.
The label is an extension of the approach taken since 2010 by the Corporate Ombudsman and the CNA, through the Charter for Responsible Supplier Relations and Purchasing, which now has 2,326 signatories, including ARMOR GROUP. Conducted on the basis of the ISO 20400 – 2017 standard, the certification is awarded for a period of three years and validates in particular: the alignment of practices with the company’s CSR strategy; the organisation’s diligence in monitoring the effective implementation of the commitments displayed; and the quality of the tools for measuring and steering the responsible purchasing policy as well as the improvement plans attached to it.
“Obtaining this label is far from anecdotal. The audit is very demanding and it is a major reward for the teams who work throughout the year to comply with the criteria, which are binding on the whole company”, commented Marie-Josée Creuset, ARMOR GROUP Purchasing Director.
ARMOR GROUP is one of the first five French ETIs (Intermediate Size Companies) to be awarded the “Responsible Supplier Relations and Purchasing” label in 2015 for the quality of its supplier management, which was renewed this year for all its activities. The ETI also received the EcoVadis Gold Medal in 2020.
“ARMOR GROUP’s aim is to choose the best companies and partners in order to build a lasting relationship together. A collaboration that serves both competitiveness and quality, which meets the requirements of our customers as well as ARMOR GROUP’s present and future challenges” concluded Marie-Josée Creuset.
