At JAO, our procurement process is dedicated to supporting the people, communities, and environments integral to our supply chain. Beyond prioritizing quality and safety, we are committed to ethical and sustainable sourcing practices and partnering with reputable suppliers worldwide. 

Our Ethical Sourcing Programme ensures that all our suppliers adhere to environmentally responsible processes, maintain safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity, and uphold human rights throughout the supply chain.

The Programme includes:

- A Supplier Code of Conduct

- An Ethical Sourcing Policy

- Risk assessments using the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX)

- SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audits (SMETA 4-pillars audit) for medium and high-risk suppliers

Over 80% of our direct suppliers by spend are active SEDEX members. As part of our commitment, over 90% of our direct tier 1 suppliers by spend have signed our Code of Conduct. We require independent third-party auditors to conduct SEDEX Members Ethical Trade Audits (SMETA 4-pillars audit) of high and medium-risk suppliers.

Despite the challenges, we are committed to continuously improving our practices with honesty and transparency. A notable partner is Dutjahn Sandalwood Oils (DSO) in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. DSO, a joint venture between Dutjahn Custodians, Kutkabbuba Aboriginal Corporation, and WA Sandalwood Plantations, is owned and controlled by traditional Indigenous communities. They employ a unique, sustainable approach to sandalwood oil production.

We began our partnership with DSO in 2018 after extensively searching for sandalwood oil that met our scent profile, quality standards, and provided enhanced visibility of the production and supply process. This long-term partnership is founded on our shared values and commitment to positive social, economic, and environmental development.