What is a supplier code of conduct acknowledgement?
Many businesses now ask their suppliers to sign up to a code of conduct: large customers expect it, some laws on modern slavery and supply chain due diligence push companies to show what they ask of their suppliers, and it sets expectations before anything goes wrong. The acknowledgement is the page the supplier signs to confirm it has read the code and will follow it.
This template works with your own code, which you attach or link to, and also summarises its main standards so the signed page stands on its own: no forced or child labour, lawful wages and hours, non-discrimination, health and safety, anti-bribery and gifts, conflicts of interest, competition and sanctions law, data protection, environmental compliance, and passing the standards on to subcontractors. It adds a reporting channel with no retaliation, information requests and audits on notice, a written plan to fix problems, disclosed exceptions, and the company's right to end supply for serious breaches.
- Best for
- Supplier onboarding, annual re-certification, ethical sourcing programmes
- Signed by
- An authorised person at the supplier, and your company
- Your code
- Attach it to the envelope or give a web link
- Length
- About 3 pages, initialled on every page
When to Use a supplier code of conduct acknowledgement
- Onboarding a new manufacturer, packaging supplier or logistics provider
- Collecting signed commitments from all suppliers after publishing a new code
- Annual re-confirmation of your code as part of supplier reviews
- Showing a large customer or auditor what you require of your own supply chain
- Recording a supplier's disclosed gaps and its plan to close them
What You Fill In
12 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: company, supplier.
1 The parties
- Date*
- Company name*
- Supplier (company name)*
- Supplier address
- What the supplier provides
2 The code
- Name of your code*
- Version or date of the code
- Where the supplier can read it
3 Reporting and checks
- Where concerns are reported*
- Notice before an audit (days)*
- Time to agree a plan to fix a problem (days)*
- Exceptions the supplier discloses
4 Who signs
- Company signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The buyer whose code the supplier signs up to.
- Supplier signature and date, job title, initials on every page · Someone authorised to sign for the supplier, such as a director or owner.
What the supplier code of conduct acknowledgement Covers
- Receipt of the Code
- Commitment
- Reporting concerns
- Information and audits
- Fixing problems
- Disclosed exceptions
- Confirmation
- Confirmation
Using the supplier code of conduct acknowledgement, step by step
1 Point to your code
Enter your code's name and version, and where the supplier can read it — "attached to this document" if you add it to the envelope, or a web address. The summary in the acknowledgement does not replace your code; the code applies where it is stricter.
2 Set up reporting and audits
Give an email address or hotline for concerns. Choose how many days' notice you give before an audit (audits without notice are allowed where you suspect a serious breach) and how long the supplier has to agree a plan to fix a problem.
3 Let the supplier disclose exceptions
If the supplier does not yet fully meet the code somewhere, record it and the plan to fix it. Disclosed exceptions are noted instead of being a breach.
4 Send to the supplier
Set the signing order so the supplier signs first and your company countersigns. The signed acknowledgement is filed in Files — useful when a customer or auditor asks for evidence.
Tips Before You Send It
- Send the acknowledgement with every new supplier's onboarding pack, and again when you update the code.
- Make sure the supplier's signer has authority to commit the business — usually a director or owner.
- Keep your code realistic for small suppliers. A standard they cannot meet leads to a signature, not a change.
- Follow up on disclosed exceptions with a date in your calendar — the acknowledgement records the plan, but someone has to check it.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Supplier code of conduct acknowledgement: frequently asked questions
Do I need my own code of conduct to use this?
The acknowledgement is designed to go with your own code, which you attach or link. It summarises the standards most supplier codes contain, so it is still meaningful on its own, but the code is what sets out your detailed requirements.
What happens if a supplier breaches the code?
The supplier must agree a written plan to correct the problem within the number of days you set and carry it out. You may pause orders while a serious problem is fixed, and for serious breaches — such as forced or child labour or bribery — end supply contracts as those contracts allow.
Does this replace our supply contract?
No. It becomes part of every contract and purchase order with the supplier, but the prices, delivery and other commercial terms stay in your supply agreement.
Is an electronic signature valid for a supplier acknowledgement?
Electronic signatures are generally valid for ordinary business documents like this in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada. VergeHR keeps an audit trail of who signed and when.