6. Rule 5: Audit your suppliers

Supplier audits [FIC 0452] can be a good way of establishing a win-win relationship with your supplier, provided they are based on the values of respect and trust. Also known as "second-party audits", they can be carried out at various points in the supplier relationship, such as :

• selecting a new supplier ;

• support for a supplier in difficulty (e.g., helping a supplier to obtain ISO 9001 certification by giving it the benefit of its own experience);

• verification of a supplier's...