IBM has about 30,000 supplier locations in more than 60 countries, and believes in the value of long-term relationships that facilitate sustained growth for IBM and our suppliers alike. Our Supply Chain Social Responsibility initiative specifies requirements our suppliers must uphold in order to produce goods or services that ultimately reach IBM's clients.
IBM is committed to extending social responsibility across not only our own global supply chain, but also in the electronics industry through collaboration with other companies. Our key initiative in this area is the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) (link resides outside of ibm.com). In 2004, IBM was among the original companies to adopt the EICC Code of Conduct, which established a standards-based approach to monitoring suppliers' compliance across several areas of social responsibility, including labour, health, safety, and environmental impact.
IBM views a diverse supplier base as integral to its corporate objectives and strategic imperatives. Building and maintaining a community of diverse suppliers increases IBM's opportunity to hear new ideas, apply different approaches, and gain access to additional solutions that respond to customer needs. Such collaboration helps IBM deliver innovation, quality products, and world-class service to a growing global marketplace characterised by an eclectic array of cultures in near- and far-reaching populations.
