Towards Responsible Purchasing Practices: Updates from India and Bangladesh

It’s been 25 years since I first entered this industry, and reading the Ethical Trading Initiative’s recent update on responsible purchasing practices in India and Bangladesh reminded me of the early days, when we regularly talked about how purchasing decisions can shape not just profit, but people and progress.

Two and a half decades later, it’s encouraging to see that these conversations haven’t faded—they’ve evolved. The challenges are still familiar: price pressures, tight lead times, and the need for greater transparency. But what stands out is the growing collaboration among brands, suppliers, and policymakers, and a shift from compliance to continuous improvement.

At Intertek, we see responsible purchasing as part of a broader movement toward Total Quality Assurance, where ethics, transparency, and performance go hand in hand. Through solutions like Responsible Sourcing and Supply Chain Assurance, Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD), and digital platforms such as Intertek SupplyTek and HoneyTrace, we help companies strengthen visibility, resilience, and trust across their supply chains.

Progress takes persistence, and it’s encouraging to see key stakeholders continuing the work. Responsible purchasing is not just about meeting standards—it’s about partnership, accountability, and the shared responsibility to create lasting, positive impact.

Read more from the Ethical Trading Initiative: Toward Responsible Purchasing Practices: Updates from India and Bangladesh.