Start with the buyer’s request
A supplier should understand the specific onboarding or sourcing decision before sharing files. Capture the buyer’s questionnaire, product scope, market and required evidence. Avoid treating a generic sustainability score as a substitute for the actual request.
Organize four evidence groups
Document supplier identity and ownership, labour and safety practices, material traceability and product records. Link evidence to the exact requirement it supports. Keep validity dates and document versions visible.
Record gaps openly
Missing records should become owned actions. State what is unavailable, what needs clarification and when the supplier expects to respond. This is more useful than presenting an unsupported claim as complete.
Share with a boundary
Prepare a defined dossier and obtain authorization before handing it to a buyer or assessor. A supplier participating in more than one programme should retain control over which records each recipient receives.
Review before handoff
Check that the package is internally consistent, current and scoped to the buyer’s request. Formal certification, buyer acceptance and procurement decisions remain independent of the hub’s preparation process.
General preparation guidance. Confirm the exact sector, country and scheme requirements with a qualified expert.
Discuss your assessment route