Vendor Relations Principles

Setting Priorities

We recognize that enumerating and researching every way in which a business might violate its social responsibilities is an impossible task. Therefore we must set priorities which reflect our values and resources. Our current priorities are not exclusive, and may change in the future as our community changes, as business changes, and as we learn more about issues not currently on the list. [This paragraph is adapted from one by the Investment Committee of the United Church of Canada.]

Our priorities are of two kinds. First, we wish to avoid sending our money to companies which derive one-third or more of their revenues from the sale of alcohol, tobacco, gambling, or armaments.

Second, we wish to avoid sending our money to companies which we believe are responsible for serious or repeated instances of discrimination, pollution, labor or human rights violations, health or safety violations, or unlawful political activity. For these purposes, violations of applicable laws are not necessary to trigger our response, although in some cases they will suffice. We wish to avoid sending our money to companies which violate our own sense of their social responsibility, even if their conduct is lawful.

The principles in this statement apply only to major vendors, and only to Earlham faculty, staff, and students charged with the responsibility to act for Earlham College, or the Earlham School of Religion, in dealing with major vendors. For these purposes a major vendor is one on which we spend 1% or more of our procurement budget in a given year.

If a minor vendor does not comply with these principles, or if a major vendor is complicit in wrongdoing but not of the kinds or degrees described in these principles, then individuals may follow their consciences in refusing to engage that vendor for Earlham business.

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