Scope 

This policy applies to all Collectiv Food employees involved in the sourcing of food and drink for its clients.

Our core policy drivers

Direct, traceable sources
In a food supply chain often burdened with hidden costs and layers of middlemen, traceability is our top priority when discovering and selecting producers. By prioritising direct partnerships with primary producers where possible, we ensure greater transparency, quality, and traceability, leveraging our growing buying power to make this a reality across the food and drink categories we serve.

Responsible choices made easier
Today, foodservice operators should not only be able to answer questions of traceability, but also stories of production and, increasingly, of impact. At Collectiv Food, we empower our clients to meet this challenge by fostering strong producer relationships and maintaining robust transparency. Through our Producer Stories, Better Choices, and regular Impact Reports, we provide the insights they need to make informed, responsible purchasing decisions, supporting them to turn their sustainability ambitions into action.

Inclusive and fair partnerships
We see food not as a mere commodity, but as a product unique to the people, production methods and natural environments behind it — success to us is reconnecting these different components and nourishing relationships to thrive together. We strive to support the success of our producer network by listening to their needs. Whether that's providing opportunities to access new markets, knowledge of where their product is going or favourable payment terms, we strive to be inclusive in our supplier selection and treat our producer partners fairly.

Our Minimum Requirements

1. Compliance with one or more food safety standard(s) for all animal-origin products

   1. Acceptable certifications are those recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) or the Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA). 

2. Where SALSA or a GFSI-recognised certification is not held, a documented HACCP procedure is required for all non-animal origin products

   1. A robust HACCP procedure involves identifying and controlling food safety hazards through clear critical control points, monitoring, corrective actions, record-keeping, verification, employee training, and continuous improvement to ensure safe and compliant operations.

3. Up-to-date product documentation detailing full allergen and traceability information 

   1. Product specification sheets are required for approval for trade.

   2. Where full specification sheets are unavailable, Collectiv Food will work with the supplier to maintain a reduced specification sheet. 

4. Engagement with our annual sustainability assessment

   1. All approved suppliers, including long-term contingency partners, are required to participate in our annual sustainability disclosure within 12 weeks of onboarding and 12 weeks from annual requests thereafter. 

5. Adherence to our Producer Code of Conduct

   1. All approved suppliers, including long-term contingency partners, must confirm adherence to our Producer Code of Conduct within 12 weeks of commencing business.

   2. Collectiv Food also expects suppliers to follow procedures described in its Code of Conduct to ensure responsible business conduct aligned with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. 

6. We avoid sourcing products that do not align with our sustainability ambitions and values

   1. Going forward, we aim to avoid sourcing seafood from the 'Fish to Avoid' list as outlined in the Good Fish Guide, which evaluates species, locations, and fishing or farming methods to promote responsible choices. For any existing customers currently using seafood from this list, we'll actively engage with them to explore more sustainable alternatives.

   2. We do not source HMC-Halal meats because the HMC standard prohibits pre-stunning, which is widely recognised as causing unnecessary animal suffering. 

From us, producers can expect we:

• Handle product safely in accordance with the requirements of the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 (852) and 853/2004/EEC. 

• Ensure traceability of potential issues as our distribution partners operate with full HACCP, with operational procedures from receipt of stock through to delivery to customers. 

• Communicate opportunity details in a transparent manner to ensure the best fit for a given producer and foodservice opportunity.

Implementation

At Collectiv Food, we recognise that our offering is strongly dependent on the quality, consistency and integrity of products we are able to offer in partnership with our producers. That's why, before joining our network, producers go through an onboarding process developed to ascertain adherence to our minimum standards. 

Onboarding and ongoing compliance
Collectiv Food's Buying function is responsible for the onboarding of new suppliers and verifying adherence to our Minimum Requirements 1-3 and 5-6 before trading begins. Should producers meet these Requirements, they are expected to establish management systems for delivering compliance and to maintain records demonstrating this. Suppliers without formal GFSI-recognised certification or SALSA must present a documented HACCP procedure to demonstrate risk control. Suppliers are also required to notify Collectiv Food of any significant changes to product or safety details promptly.

Responsibility for Minimum Requirement 4 lies with Collectiv Food's Sustainability function, who onboard suppliers to our required sustainability assessment and conduct annual assessments thereafter. Suppliers are expected to complete assessments within 12 weeks of receipt of the assessment link and maintain up-to-date documentation where requested. 

Dealing with non-compliance
Should a supplier fail to adhere to our Minimum Requirements and demonstrate ongoing non-compliance, Collectiv Food will initiate an escalation process. If the issue remains unresolved within 12 weeks, we may explore alternative supply options and, if necessary, reconsider our business relationship with the supplier. 

In the case of nominated products, Collectiv Food will onboard the designated supplier(s) in accordance with our Sourcing Policy. If a nominated supplier does not meet our Minimum Requirements, Collectiv Food will not be held liable for any food safety or ethical risks that may arise. However, we will work proactively with the supplier to address and mitigate any issues, and collaborate with the customer to identify alternative solutions as necessary.

Outlook on Minimum Requirements

Food safety
We strive to have all our approved producers across all categories in which we operate to move towards GFSI-recognised certification for food safety. We will continue to account for additional standards, such as SALSA, to ensure inclusivity of small-scale producers. Over time, our producer selection will increasingly favour producers who adhere to these standards.

Sustainability
As GFSI- recognised audits focus largely on food safety and do not cover other important criteria such as social responsibility or environmental impact or programmes, we consider our annual sustainability assessments an important measure in increasingly driving the selection of producers in line with our values.  Additionally, as we continue to grow and expand across various food and drink categories, we are committed to refining our monitoring processes and updating our list of products to avoid, ensuring that sustainability is increasingly at the heart of every purchasing decision we make.

Continuous improvements

This policy is reviewed annually to ensure alignment as we continue to expand our offering and build on our sustainability efforts. By increasingly developing our sourcing standards, we aim to increasingly work with food and drink suppliers who share our values and in doing so, nurture a supply chain fit for the future.