L4M4 Ethical and Responsible Sourcing Questions and Answers

Questions about equal opportunity and anti-bribery policies assess the supplier's commitment to social and ethical standards. These aspects are part of the ESC criteria, which align with responsible sourcing practices by ensuring suppliers maintain ethical workforce practices and governance.

Profitability and asset levels indicate a supplier’s financial stability and ability to meet contract demands. Responsible sourcing practices include assessing financial capacity to reduce risk in the supply chain and ensure long-term supplier viability.

Explanation

shareholder equity = the owner/s of the organisation's residual claim once all debts have been paid. What Is Shareholder Equity (SE) and How Is It Calculated? (investopedia.com)

Explanation

a balance sheet shows 'equity, assets and liabilities'. The other financial statements you need to know for this exam are cash flow statements and and income statements.

If you're not familiar with these three I strongly recommend you do some further reading on this before the exam if you can. This is helpful: How the 3 Financial Statements are Linked Together - Step by Step (corporatefinanceinstitute.com)

Explanation

Carry out due diligence is the correct answer. The other answers are incorrect:

- ensure all 46 suppliers publish an Anti Slavery Statement in line with the Modern Slavery Act is wrong because the question states that some suppliers are international. The legislation is UK, meaning international suppliers don't have to do the statement. It also only applies to companies with a turnover of £36m, and some of Zeb's suppliers may be smaller than this.

- work with less suppliers to reduce the risk of slavery entering the supply chain is a silly answer be-cause Zeb probably needs all of his suppliers. There's probably a reason he uses that many.

- ask all suppliers to get Fair Trade accredited is also a silly answer. Fair Trade only exists in some industries such as cocoa and bananas. Zig Zag Zips is in manufacturing so it's probably not going to be able to fairtrade accredit some of the stuff it buys.

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) requires the supplier to cover all delivery costs, including import duties and taxes. This term ensures that the buyer receives the goods without additional charges, aligning with public sector procurement practices for cost-effective and transparent sourcing.

Explanation

tactical is the correct answer; items that are short-term or low value are considered tactical.

Strategic sourcing is long term and high value.

Outsourcing is moving a key business function to an external company.

Insourcing is bringing a previously outsourced part of the company back in-house.

Explanation

The correct answer is financial stability (this is done by using all of those lovely ratios in chapter 1.3) and capacity and capability (which are part of Carter's 10 Cs).

At PQQ stage you're looking purely at whether the supplier is good or bad (to put it simply). You don't give them details of your requirement yet, so they're not providing a quote / pricing structure / price schedule at this point in time. That would be at the next stage, IF they pass PQQ, when you issue the tender competition.

Evaluating total life-cycle costs, including initial purchase price and long-term maintenance, aligns with ethical sourcing by promoting cost-effective and sustainable procurement. It ensures value for money and supports environmentally and financially responsible sourcing practices.

Accepting an invitation under such circumstances would violate ethical standards, as it could create a conflict of interest. Ethical sourcing and procurement practices require impartiality, and any perceived favoritism or bias can harm the organisation's integrity.

Under FOB (Free on Board), the buyer assumes responsibility once the goods are loaded onto the ship, including costs and risks beyond this point. This Incoterm is commonly used in international trade, helping both parties clarify responsibilities and promote fair risk distribution.

Employee working conditions, a code of ethics, and a carbon emissions policy are all indicative of a supplier's commitment to ESG standards. Assessing these factors aligns with responsible sourcing practices, which prioritize sustainability and ethical considerations.

Explanation

An ITT would include details on the awarding body (usually a brief overview of the buyer), the deadline (bids must be received by a certain date) and qualifications required (such as ISO requirements or competency certificates of staff members if it's a service contract). You wouldn't find pricing schedules in an ITT (this would be provided by the supplier in response to the ITT), nor would you find risk assessments (a supplier might be asked to provide one as part of the quality assessment of the tender though).

Invitation To Tender Simply Explained I Thornton & Lowe (thorntonandlowe.com)

Explanation

The three pillars of sustainability are profit, people and planet. This may also be referred to as social, economic and environmental.

Explanation

Futures exchanges are used to trade commodities. It's when a buyer and supplier agree a price and deal for something in the future. For example a carrot farmer may agree to sell his carrots to Gary in 3 months time when they're finished growing. It's used when the product / commodity isn't ready yet.

It's also used for hedging and other complex financial stuff- but you don't need to know that yet. Commodities and Future contracts are a big part of L5M4 to warn you though. Futures Contract Definition: Types, Mechanics, and Uses in Trading (investopedia.com)

Explanation

The correct answer is 'no- quoting in the supplier's currency increases the risk for the buyer'. This questions comes up in a variety of formats in the exam. Remember; if the price is in your own currency (most examples in the exam are given in £) there is less risk than if the prices are quoted in a foreign currency. This is because exchange rates fluctuate; if the price is in £ you always know what you're paying, if it's in another currency the price can change daily depending on if the exchange rate compared to £ has gone up or down.

Public sector sourcing prioritises maintaining service levels within budget constraints and often mandates competitive tendering to promote transparency and fairness. These principles align with ethical sourcing practices, ensuring responsible expenditure and fair competition among suppliers.

Compliance with fair trade standards demonstrates the supplier's commitment to social responsibility, including fair wages and ethical working conditions. This aligns with responsible sourcing practices, ensuring that suppliers maintain ethical labor standards, as advocated in the principles of ethical sourcing.

Total Quality Management (TQM) practices and ISO 9001 certification are indicators of a supplier’s commitment to quality. Responsible sourcing evaluates these factors to ensure suppliers meet high-quality standards and continuous improvement expectations.

Explanation

gross profit = total revenue - cost of sales.

Learn all you can about financial ratios and financial statements for the exam- it's a very common topic

Explanation

Pregnant women and children are considered 'disadvantaged' by the UN. The other groups the UN call disadvantaged include; the elderly, the immunocompromised, those with disabilities and those living in poverty. This is the list given in the study guide.

A company could help disadvantaged groups in several ways. Firstly by offering employment (obviously not to the children). It could also include helping these groups as part of a Social Value out-come or community benefit scheme.

A full competitive tendering process ensures fairness by treating all suppliers equally, allowing them to compete on a level playing field. This aligns with ethical sourcing principles, especially in the public sector, where transparency and equal opportunity are paramount.

Explanation

So you can immediately discount the options starting with yes.

Quoting in GBP / £ rather than the supplier's currency reduces the risk to the buyer. It will not re-duce the cost of the import, and will probably increase it as the supplier is then taking on the risk of currency fluctuations.

Explanation

Exchange rates and tariffs are associated with international sourcing.

The other options are concerns for both local sourcing and international sourcing.

The withholding of passports is a potential indication of modern slavery, and the offer of a discount to avoid reporting this is a form of bribery. Reporting these ethical concerns aligns with responsiblesourcing practices and is critical for maintaining a supply chain free from human rights abuses.

A current ratio below 1 suggests that the supplier may not have sufficient current assets to cover short-term liabilities, which could pose a risk to the buyer. Assessing financial stability aligns with responsible sourcing practices, as it ensures suppliers can fulfill contracts without disruption.

Explanation

These are 'not-for-profit' organisations. You don't need to know much on not-for-profit procurement for this exam. Just that procurement can be regulated in this sector by bodies such as Charities Commission.

Explanation

The correct answer is 'yes - these can be completed without warning which would give Ali an accurate picture of the supplier's operations'. The other options are incorrect:

1) you can do many types of audit- financial, ethical, Health and Safety etc

2) asking a supplier about their ethical practices isn't likely going to get you accurate information. They'll just tell you what they think you want to hear

3) audits are great- but they don't ALWAYS uncover issues. Always is the key word in that sentence which makes it incorrect.

Response times should be tailored to the complexity of the tender. Responsible sourcing encourages flexibility in setting realistic timelines that allow suppliers adequate time to prepare, supporting efficient and effective sourcing without unnecessary delays.

Explanation

Price and Quality are the two considerations when marking a competitive tender.

Location, distribution and reputation may be considered for SOME tenders, but these would be sub-categories that fall under 'quality questions.

Explanation

When single sourcing, you should aim to have a collaborative relationship with the supplier. They're the only ones who provide you with glass, which is a vital part of windows. So you need to make sure you have a good relationship with them and work with them to overcome any issues such as supply chain disruptions. If not- you've got no windows to sell!

Explanation

Weighted points systems can be time consuming to create. They're very transparent and allow for objective grading of supplier bids (so these answers are incorrect). They are not easy to manipulate and this is an advantage of using them.

Explanation

economic indices and comparison websites are secondary sources of data. The other three are examples of primary sources of data.

Primary= you get the data yourself

Secondary = you find the data from somewhere else

Explanation

current assets, current liabilities and equity can be found on a balance sheet. Net and gross sales will be found on a profit and loss account.

Explanation

Greg needs to use a gearing ratio. Gearing is a measure of how the business is being funded and is based on the ratio of debt to equity Gearing comes up a lot in the exam. Also make sure you know what Return on Investment, Acid Test and EBITDA are.

Return on Investment (ROI): How to Calculate It and What It Means (investopedia.com)

EBITDA: Definition, Calculation Formulas, History, and Criticisms (investopedia.com)

Acid-Test Ratio: Definition, Formula, and Example (investopedia.com)

Explanation

ISO9001 is Quality Management so is therefore the correct answer. The other options can be used to appraise suppliers but do not link directly or fully to Quality Management.

Explanation

cash in advance is the most beneficial to a supplier.

Open account /credit account is the most beneficial to the buyer. Learn this as it's a known exam topic.

Explanation

At supplier selection stage, unsuitable suppliers should be removed (those that do not add value or pose a risk). At develop strategy stage you're not even looking at suppliers yet- you're just deciding what you need. At contract award and asset management it's too late.

CIPS procurement cycle - Procurement Supply Cycle | CIPS

Competitive tendering is ideal for high-value contracts where technical expertise is essential. This method supports responsible sourcing by ensuring quality and aligning the supplier’s capabilities with the buyer’s needs, as required in more complex procurement scenarios.

The acid test (quick ratio) is an effective measure of a supplier's ability to meet short-term liabilities, providing insights into financial stability. This aligns with responsible sourcing by ensuring the supplier is financially capable of fulfilling a strategic contract.

Explanation

The correct answer is current assets and current liabilities. There are many Questions about financial ratios on the exam.

If you're unsure on them I suggest doing further reading outside of the study guide as this will help. I like this youtube video (I'm not associated with the makers of this video but think it's a great way to explain liquidity) Liquidity ratios (youtube.com)

You can be asked to work out liquidity in the exam. If you are asked this, the numbers will be very simple to the point you may be able to do the sums in your head. There is also a calculator on the test app you can use.

Conducting periodic audits by third-party specialists is a reliable way to monitor compliance with ethical standards, as these audits provide an objective assessment. This aligns with ethical sourcing practices, as it promotes accountability and ensures continuous adherence to agreed-upon standards.

Explanation

The correct answer is 'no - added value may change from one company to another'.

Added value is very subjective. What one person thinks is excellent added value, another may not rate highly. For example one buyer may consider a supplier having good brand reputation as added value, but another might not care.

The other no answer is incorrect because added value can be tangible or intangible. Tangible means you can touch and see it and intangible means you can't.

Explanation

the correct answer is 'Yes- a low gearing ratio means the company's finances are made up of equity rather than debt'.

Remember low gearing = good (based on equity), high gearing = bad (based on debt). Anything over 50% is considered high.

The two no answers are therefore incorrect and you can discount these straight away. The other yes answer is one of those answers which COULD be true, but isn't always true, and we'd need more information to know for sure. When you get options like this there will be one that is always right and one which is sometimes right - so always pick the always right one.

Dealing with supply chain disruptions is complex, and depending what the disruption is, how big it is, what the industry is etc determines whether a supplier can handle it or not. Because there's more factors to consider than just gearing, this isn't the right answer.

CIPS members who adhere to the CIPS Code of Conduct gain insight into ethical business practices and retain their membership and access to CIPS resources. This commitment to ethical standards supports responsible sourcing by fostering a community of professionals who value integrity and best practices.

Professional magazines, economic indices, and supplier websites provide secondary data that can be useful in understanding market trends and supplier performance. Responsible sourcing often relies on a mix of primary and secondary data sources to make informed decisions about supplier selection.

Explanation

One of the biggest advantages to making an item over buying it is 'improved quality control'.

When you make the product yourself, you can set the quality parameters you require and aren't re-stricted to, or dependant on, what the supplier does. The other options are incorrect- making stuff inhouse would mean you hold more inventory. If the supplier has a higher skillset than you, you would outsource. Threat of substitutions wouldn't impact this decision.

For a list of pros and cons relating to the 'make or buy' decision see p.5. This is a hot topic for the exam.

Explanation

Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) is the Public Sector's go to evaluation criteria.

NOTE that this is changing from October 2023. Public Sector Procurement is currently based on legislation called PCR 2015 which itself is based on EU Procurement Directives. Now the UK has officially Brexited, we're making our own laws and the new Procurement Bill will be coming into effect in November 2024. One of the major changes is that MEAT is changing to MAT (most ad-vantageous tender - without the economical bit).

If you're sitting this exam until July 2024- you're fine- learn what the study guide says. If you're taking the exam from November 2024 I'm not sure what students are expected to do. The entire section on public sector procurement is incorrect for you. My best guess is CIPS may removequestions this section as the study guide will be wrong, but I really don't know how they plan to handle this.

The new Procurement Bill - MEAT to MAT - Hempsons - Hempsons

Explanation

ethics and environment are not a 'right of procurement'.

The 5 rights are price, quality, quantity, time and place.

Explanation

the correct answer is 'marketplace competition'.

Ethical practice is about prohibiting corrupt and unfair practice, rather than issues of supply and demand. Although being in a cartel is 'unethical behavior' this option doesn't fully answer the question which talks about limiting supply- this is related to marketplace competition.

Explanation

A RFI typically finds the following information from potential suppliers; ethical and sustainability policies and their capacity / capability to fulfil a contract. It could also include financial position, mission and vision.