Introducing LCBO’s Revised Supplier Code of Business Conduct

Through the Spirit of Sustainability, our social impact platform, the LCBO is making strides to improve the way we conduct our business, set more inclusive social and environmental standards for our partners, and create more meaningful community impact. We know this is of great importance to you as well.

We aim to lead with respect to the ethical, social and environmental practices of the beverage alcohol industry, and to drive and support meaningful change in our business, for our partners, and ultimately for our consumers and the diverse communities in which they live.

While developing Spirit of Sustainability, we recognized that in order to truly bring our commitment to life, we had to take a look at the current processes and policies that we have in place. From that review, the need to update LCBO’s Supplier Code of Business Conduct was identified.

We are pleased to introduce our updated Supplier Code of Business Conduct (the “Supplier Code”). As part of our Good Partnerships commitment, this updated Supplier Code reflects our commitment to improve the sustainability of Ontario and the alcohol industry by setting standards and leading by example.

While our work together has always been governed by a Supplier Code that aimed to reflect our shared goals, LCBO’s revised Supplier Code more distinctly holds suppliers accountable to best practice standards regarding, among other things, the environment, ethical business conduct, and diversity and human rights. It aims to provide partners with a clear understanding of your responsibilities, as well as the consequences for violations of the Supplier Code. We have also worked diligently to create a clear process for classifying and dealing with violations that put the LCBO at risk, which is highlighted in the Supplier Code, including LCBO’s ability to conduct third-party audits and suspend its relationship with suppliers during an investigation.

This Supplier Code sets out the LCBO’s expectations of every supplier who wishes to establish and maintain a business relationship with us. We expect our suppliers to act in an ethical manner, be guided by the LCBO’s core values and comply with the spirit and the intent of this Supplier Code.

Our revised Supplier Code reflects supplier code of conduct best practices and broader responsible supplier programs, including from our trade partners and other liquor jurisdictions.

In alignment with Spirit of Sustainability, our updated Supplier Code ensures that we will not compromise on our commitment to creating a more sustainable industry and will only work with suppliers dedicated to doing the same. As our partners, you are responsible for adhering to our updated Supplier Code, educating your employees, agents, partners and subcontractors who provide goods and/or services to the LCBO on the changes, and reporting violations to the LCBO if and when they arise.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Category Manager or the Sustainability team. They are happy to answer any questions you may have.Thank you in advance for your collaboration.