This guidance is designed to help companies review and strengthen contracts, supplier codes of conduct, and related commercial documents, helping ensure they work in practice to support human rights and environmental due diligence. It is a toolkit for procurement, sustainability, and legal teams seeking to assess and strengthen whether existing contract frameworks, governance, and purchasing practices are aligned with responsible business conduct.

Built around four key shifts in contract design – shared responsibility, responsible purchasing practices, remediation first, and responsible exit – the guidance shows how commercial relationships can better support due diligence objectives and sustainability commitments. For SSI members and others across spice and agricultural supply chains, it offers a practical way to translate ambition into credible, operational, and auditable action.

Thank you to RCP for the collaboration and to IDH for funding this work.