Ethical Standards & Independence

Purpose of Ethical Standards

Global Vendor Management Holdings upholds moral principles intended to encourage honesty, objectivity, and responsible behavior in all organizational endeavors.

These rules direct the creation of blueprints, the management of information, and the conduct of engagements.
For vendor governance support activities to remain independent, credible, and trustworthy, ethical standards are essential.

Principle of Independence

Global Vendor Management Holdings operates as an independent, privately operated organization.

The organization:

Is not connected to any regulatory body or government agency.
Can not not represent procurement departments.
Doesn't speak for suppliers, contractors, or vendors.
Will not take part in contracting or vendor selection decisions.

To guarantee that approach and guidelines stay impartial and documentation driven, independence is preserved.

Neutrality in Engagements

Every interaction is conducted with a commitment to objectivity.

Global Vendor Management Holdings:

Consistently follows a model
Does not endorse specific vendors or outcomes.
Avoid giving someone preferential or subjective treatment.
Does not support particular suppliers or results.

This approach promotes equity and openness in all organizational initiatives.

Separation from Procurement & Contracting

The organization maintains a clear separation from procurement, sourcing, and contracting activities.

Global Vendor Management Holdings does not:

Negotiate contracts
Recommend vendors for selection
Impact terms of sale or pricing
Take part in the selection of awards

Vendor governance support is limited to policies, documentation standards, and oversight structures.

Conflict of Interest Management

The organization applies internal procedures meant to recognize and handle possible conflicts of interest.

These practices may include:

Disclosure of pertinent connections
Internal assessment of the engagement's scope
Keeping business interests and advisory activities separate

When a conflict cannot be resolved appropriately, the organization may prohibit or limit participation.

Integrity of Information

An important priority for Global Vendor Management Holdings is the responsible use and management of information.

Information integrity is based on the following principles:

Information use only for specified purposes
Preventing abuse or deception
Regard for the privacy and security of data
The scope and limitations of the approach are accurately represented.

There is no alteration or misrepresentation of information.

Ethical Use of Models & Outputs

Publications, guidelines, and systems are meant to assist internal decision making and governance.

They are not intended to:

Be used as regulatory substitutes
Be presented as certifications or approvals
Be misrepresented as endorsements

Organizations and vendors are responsible for the appropriate use of provided materials.

Respect for Jurisdictional Boundaries

Global Vendor Management Holdings is aware that different jurisdictions have different laws, rules, and governance requirements.

Ethical standards require that:

Guidelines are portrayed as flexible rather than prescriptive.
No claims of regulatory authority are made.
Users are advised to seek appropriate legal or expert counsel.

The organization avoids statements or actions that could suggest jurisdictional authority.

Accountability & Review

The code of ethics is subject to internal review and can be updated to reflect changing governance norms and organizational practices.

Internal administrative procedures are followed when investigating ethical behavior concerns.

Reporting Ethical Concerns

If organizations or interested parties have any moral concerns regarding the organization's operations, they can use the Contact & Program Requests page to submit an inquiry.
Each submission is scrutinized impartially and appropriately.

Limitations of Ethical Commitments

While Global Vendor Management Holdings is committed to high standards, these standards include:

Don't impose legal obligations beyond what is permitted by law.
Steer clear of developing fiduciary relationships.
Don't replace the responsibilities of organizational governance.

Every engagement is still subject to predetermined parameters.

Updates to Ethical Standards

This Principles of Ethics & Independence statement may be updated on a regular basis to take into account new best practices or organizational changes.
The most recent version is always available on this page.

Contact

For questions related to ethical standards or independence, please use the Contact & Program Requests page.