It is a requirement of the Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) that all companies review their supply chain on a regular basis to ensure that they are able to meet regulatory requirements?
Do you do supplier audits?
It might surprise you to find out what your suppliers’ working practices are.
The relationship and dependency on the suppliers mean your business faces additional risks and uncertainties which may not be clear by taking an 'internal' perspective, but rather exist 'externally', and often only become obvious once they occur.
Donaldson Safety worked with a large ISO:9001 qualified company in the last few years that did not have a regular supplier audit schedule in place, and so did not know where all of its supplies really came from. By auditing the supply chain, it was uncovered that some of the key components were being manufactured by an individual in China working in their backyard. Needless to say, they did not assess the historical competence of its supply chain and their ability to meet designated functions under ISO:9001 standards!
When did you last review your suppliers to find out how compliant they are?
Donaldson Safety can work with you to make sure your supply chain is fully audited to make sure you and your suppliers are meeting their obligations.
