At Compass Group we believe in the power of purpose-driven procurement.
As a global leader in food services, we are uniquely positioned to build inclusive partnerships across our entire supply chain, and through our procurement choices, we support the livelihoods of so many inspirational people and businesses.
By building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive supply chain, we’re able to better serve the communities in which we operate. We’re using our purchasing scale as a driving force for good, incubating many smaller suppliers and changing lives for the better.
In 2023, globally we spent more than $1billion with diverse, local, social enterprise and SME suppliers.
"At Compass Group, we strive to positively impact and represent the communities we serve. We look to leverage everyone’s abilities, interests and passion to create an inclusive environment for our people, clients, customers and partners."
Shelley Roberts, Group Chief Commercial Officer, Compass Group PLC
Local and environmental focus (France)
We’re passionate about sourcing locally and forging long-term partnerships with farmers, growers and producers. In France since 2022, we’ve been sourcing 80% of our fresh vegetables from French crops in the peak supply seasons. Led by local procurement ambassadors, our chefs and operators are dedicated to purchasing from their local regions.
Local procurement is split into four regions of France, and the local procurement ambassadors are responsible for finding local suppliers and building long-term, trusted partnerships. Our local sourcing commitment extends beyond fruit and vegetables. By the end of 2024, 60% of the poultry and beef we source will form part of this local sourcing strategy.
Diverse Supplier Accelerator Programme (North America)
In 2021, our Foodbuy USA team launched the Diverse Supplier Accelerator Program to support diverse suppliers in growing their businesses. This initiative focuses on 10 women and minority-owned businesses each year, connecting them with resources and education.
Suppliers who are selected to participate in our Accelerator Programme are assigned a dedicated Foodbuy mentor, who serves as their primary point of contact throughout the 12-month programme. During the first three months, suppliers are supported in creating development and activation plans, followed by nine months of execution and progress tracking.
One example of a supplier who has been through the Foodbuy Diverse Supplier Accelerator program is Miffy's Foods, a woman-owned business. In this video, Miffy Jones, founder and owner, highlights how our intentional inclusion of diverse suppliers has helped her to reach her dream of getting Miffy’s baking mixes across America.
Watch the video to learn more about our partnership together.
Pitch Social (UK and Ireland)
In the UK and Ireland, we launched Pitch Social, a programme which aims to identify new social enterprises, B-Corps and minority-owned suppliers that are doing amazing social or environmental work.
Smaller businesses often don’t have the resource to succeed through a traditional tender process, so through Pitch Social, Foodbuy hopes to develop new partnerships with UK-based suppliers and drive further positive social and environmental impact.
In the last two years, we have invited 36 businesses to participate and meet with our business leaders, operators, and clients so we can learn more about their products and purpose.
Purpose-driven procurement (Australia)
Across Australia, we continue to invest in social purpose partnerships, supporting several different organisations including OzHarvest, Social Traders, Stop Food Waste Australia (SFWA) and Supply Nation. As part of our latest Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), we are developing our supply chains to provide healthy food at an affordable price to remote First Nations communities.
Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) Farmer pilot programme (North America)
In 2022, we expanded our Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) Farmer pilot programme. It’s already a success in North Carolina, where we have added new farms and increased purchasing from this community by 68% over the past year. The programme supports the values we foster: Sourcing fresh local produce and recognising diversity and inclusion in our suppliers. What’s more, our chefs continue to innovate and create new recipes which allow us to incorporate more products from BIPOC producers throughout our operations.
Hungry for more?
© 2024 Compass Group PLC