Скачать или смотреть Vendors, Ethics & the Blind Spot: Does Responsibility End at the Contract? Xplore by XLRI

Where does a company's responsibility really end—at the signing of a contract or across the entire value chain? In this episode of Xplore by XLRI, visionary leaders take on one of the most persistent ethical blind spots in Indian business: the dilemma of vendor responsibility, worker rights, and the uneasy lines drawn by contracts and compliance.

📢 Featured Leaders:
Prakash Dwivedi, EY
Anirudh Kothur, Tuple Technology
Kiran Kuchimanchi, FICO
Karthikeyan Natarajan
Dr Sriram Birudavolu, Cyber Security Centre of Excellence DSCI
Prof Alok Raj, XLRI
Raja MVSMA, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Rama Chandra Vattigunta, Optum Insight

🔍 Key Themes & Standout Quotes
⭐ Reputation at Risk Across the Chain
"If vendors are exploiting their workers, it will not be good for the company ... it's a vendor-exploiting story, not a company's glowing story."
Firms can't insulate themselves from reputational fallout when their supply chain falls short ethically.

⭐ The “Not My Problem” Mindset
"I've seen cases where people know but ... I can't run the entire value chain ... how the vendor treats his people is his lookout."
Too often, leaders see vendor ethics as “outside their scope,” leading to dangerous blind spots.

⭐ Compromises Under Pressure
"Deals happen ... pressure is there at every level ... we know this is happening but don't do anything about it."
Tight targets, deadlines, and growth often overshadow ethical standards, with everyone complicit in inaction.

⭐ Trust as the Core Syntax
"Businesses run ... on a syntax of trust ... if that's not there, it's not going to be sustainable business in the long run."
Sustainable business depends on extending ethical standards and trust through every partnership.

⭐ Courage & Capacity to Lead Change
"If you're not able to say that, you probably don't have the strength to run the business yourself."
True leaders own responsibility for all areas their business touches—including vendor practices.

⭐ Awareness & Compliance Gaps
"The awareness was missing ... in terms of what they need to be compliant ... especially EHS ... labor laws compliance."
Vendors often lack the knowledge or resources to comply, highlighting a widespread need for partnership, training, and transparent expectations.

📌 Episode Coverage
Where corporate responsibility truly begins and ends—with focus on vendor and supplier networks
The ethical and reputational risks of ignoring supply chain practices
Pressures driving compromises, and why collective silence is dangerous
The centrality of trust, openness, and accountability in long-term partnerships
Capacity-building, compliance awareness, and why empowering vendors uplifts the whole business ecosystem

Should companies be on the hook for their vendors’ social and ethical standards? How can businesses build responsibility and trust through every link in their value chain? Share your perspective in the comments 👇

📩 For partnerships, media collaborations, or ethics-focused workshops:
[email protected]

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#BusinessEthics #VendorResponsibility #SupplyChainEthics #LeadershipInsights #SustainableBusiness #VendorCompliance #TrustInBusiness #XploreByXLRI #WorkerRights #BlindSpots

vendor ethics India
supply chain responsibility
business responsibility boundaries
corporate trust network
EHS and labor compliance
vendor training programs
Xplore by XLRI