Nexans’ unique ecosystem breaks from the traditional vertical supply chain model. Central to this structure and the company’s development efforts are our 15,000 suppliers, of which 300 key partners, each unique in their sector. They collaborate effectively to amplify the impacts of E3: Economy, Environment, Engagement.
The Nexans ecosystem offers many opportunities:
Our suppliers and partners are key contributors to this sustainable electrification across the world and to customer expectations.
Our commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 requires us to be fully transparent throughout the value chain and to support our targets with quantifiable emissions data and robust reduction targets. This means working alongside suppliers to find innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions and raw material waste across the supply chain.
Through its strong relationships with suppliers, Nexans is building a system that promotes value creation. Focused on the sustainable electrification of the planet and on customer expectations, this ecosystem is powered by the Group’s innovative E3 performance model. E3 aims to make the vision of a sustainable, electrified future a reality, by giving suppliers and partners a prime role in the process.
When awarding contracts to its suppliers, Nexans takes into account several criteria, including their CSR performance. A supplier’s CSR performance is notably based on the supplier’s CSR scorecard, issued by an independent, internationally recognized CSR expert (such as EcoVadis or Sedex), and on-site CSR audits, if performed.
Nexans suppliers are encouraged to have their CSR performance assessed and certified by a CSR scorecard. They should then update this scorecard regularly.
Nexans awards the status of preferred supplier only to suppliers with a good CSR performance, among other strengths, and supports suppliers that improve their CSR performances in a continuous and sustainable way. Nexans reserves the right to delist a supplier that does not comply with the CSR principles.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is at the heart of Nexans’ strategy.
Nexans commits to respecting fundamental CSR principles in the following areas:
Nexans expects its suppliers to respect the same principles.
These objectives also involve the implementation of a vigilance plan tailored to each purchasing category.
Accountability and fair practices
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Nexans’ expectations of its suppliers are centered around multi-criteria performance with a focus on combining innovation and sustainable development.
Suppliers enable Nexans to reduce its carbon footprint through low-carbon solutions, recycled materials, recycled packaging, low-emission transport, renewable energies, and more, as well as their own pathways towards carbon neutrality.
In doing so, suppliers play a key role in improving Nexans’ products and services.
Nexans works with its suppliers to create a circular economy, stimulating recyclability and the use of recycled materials.
Nexans manages CSR risks to strengthen the resilience of its Supply Chain, comply with all regulatory environments, and anticipate the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), the proposed European legislation that would require companies to integrate due diligence on human rights and environmental issues.
Key documents
Every year since 2021, Nexans has celebrated its suppliers with Suppliers Day. This event is dedicated to meeting suppliers, explaining Nexans’ strategy, new processes and challenges, and discussing partnerships.
Suppliers Day is also an opportunity to share Nexans’ purchasing priorities aligned with the Group’s goals, highlight priorities to meet Nexans’ CSR commitments, and strengthen a joint action plan towards carbon neutrality.
A good balance between economics, collaboration and sustainability is really the starting point of what we want to achieve with our suppliers.
Chief Operating Officer, Nexans
Launched in 2023, the E3 digital supplier assessment platform provides suppliers with a transparent overview of their performance, based on a rating determined using the three pillars of the E3 model (Economics, Environment and Engagement). This unique tool assesses suppliers in an intelligent way, beyond traditional financial indicators to include information such as sustainability data on their carbon footprint, product innovation or supply resilience, to make better purchasing decisions.
Developed in-house, the platform provides purchasing staff with an integrated view to measure performance, prioritize E3-compliant suppliers, and ultimately compare suppliers and offers.
Nexans’ Purchasing team won an award from the French National Purchasing Council for its supplier relationship management in 2022. At the center of Nexans’ ecosystem, suppliers contribute significantly to protecting the long-term security of our supply chain and to developing a more differentiated, competitive and sustainable offer.
In 2024, Nexans Purchasing Team received the prestigious gold award from Conseil National des Achats & Decision-achats.fr. This recognition underscores Nexans’ commitment to innovation and value creation within its Suppliers ecosystem, exemplified by the pioneering E3 (Economic, Environment, Engagement) model and a cutting-edge Supplier scoring digital platform.
