Suppliers
Working with Vodafone
Vodafone buys products and services across all our markets. We work closely with our suppliers to provide innovative solutions in a sustainable and ethical environment.
Resources for suppliers
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The relationships we have with our suppliers are critical to the success of our business. How we engage and collaborate with our partners is governed by our Supplier Management programme - one of the key ways in which we build strong relationships, creating greater value, increasing innovation and improving efficiency.
From initial engagement with a supplier through to ongoing compliance and performance management, our approach to Supplier Management contains a variety of processes spanning multiple disciplines.
All of our suppliers are required to complete our detailed qualification process to guarantee that they meet our business requirements and expectations, including complying with the Vodafone policies and requirements defined in the Vodafone Code of Conduct.
Once a supplier has been welcomed into the Vodafone Supply Chain, we continually work with them to identify and deliver world class performance through collaboration and prioritisation by defining clear expectations.
Our suppliers are continually evaluated by a series of assessments across our local markets and group functions. We evaluate suppliers against nine core performance pillars to underpin our goal of supplier performance excellence.
Even with all the focus on continuous improvement, we don't lose our focus on risk management. Through our general risk assessments and supplier self-assessments we identify high-risk suppliers who are then scheduled for a more detailed audit and follow up. We also require suppliers to reaffirm their commitment to complying with the Vodafone policies and requirements, as defined in the Vodafone Code of Conduct, every two years.
Read more »Supplier Management Help
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We require everyone working with us, from individuals to multinational companies, to be aware of and follow our approach and expectations on health, safety and wellbeing.
All employees, suppliers and contractors working for Vodafone must follow our seven Absolute Rules.
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We’re deeply passionate about innovation and are always looking for game changing products. We’re searching for the products and services that will make a real and positive difference in the world, fulfilling the needs of our customers and making their lives easier.
From the moment the first mobile phone call in Britain was made over three decades ago, Vodafone has been in the business of innovation. Working together with suppliers we’re able to keep innovating and developing new solutions to improve the service we provide to our customers and the way we operate. We’re always searching for the next big idea to change the world and change people’s lives for the better.
We’re able to support businesses with great ideas to reach the scale that they deserve. Our market knowledge and global footprint give us the ability to promote their products and services to the largest possible audience.
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Our supply chain team is responsible for purchasing products and services from across the globe to help run our business at its very best.
Since our inception, Supply Chain has been on a journey to become recognised as a global leader in everything we do. Operating along the entire value chain, we are regularly recognised for our high performance and delivery excellence.
To maintain this world class function, we’ve set up a landscape of advanced tools and robust processes to smoothly facilitate the interaction with our suppliers. These electronic solutions make working with us faster, more secure and simpler than ever. Here is a selection of the tools we use:
- eSourcing for Request for Information (quotes) and Auctions
- eSignature for signing of contracts
- eInvoicing for invoice submission
- Business to Business Hub for exchange of PO’s
- System to System Connections
- Supply Chain Financing for early receipt of payment
The use of electronic solutions eliminate or reduce the need for paper, without diminishing the trail or integrity of information. The tools increase the speed of transacting whilst also increasing accuracy.
Once you become a Vodafone supplier, we’ll work with you to determine which tools best suit your business needs.
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Customer’s satisfaction and safety has the utmost priority at Vodafone. We want to delight customers with reliable and high-quality devices that work best on the Vodafone network, and with our applications and services.
Every model we launch must fulfil specific Vodafone Product Acceptance Criteria. These criteria depend on the type of the product, but always consists of:
- A set of key Legislative and Industry Standards
- Vodafone specific Quality, Safety and Policy related criteria
- Vodafone specific requirements for Features, Services and Applications
Suppliers that work with Vodafone need to fulfil these. The below extract provides potential suppliers an overview of these acceptance criteria; for more information please contact oemcontactvodafonedevicerequirements@vodafone.com
Legislative and Industry Standards for Device Compliancy
- Android
- Battery
- Bluetooth
- Charger and power supply efficiency
- DoC – Declaration of Conformity
- Electrical Safety
- eSIM
- FCC - Federal Communications Commission
- GCF - Global Certification Forum
- GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation
- Low Voltage Directive
- REACH - Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
- RE-D – Radio Equipment Directive
- RoHS - Restriction of Hazardous Substances
- SAR - Specific Absorption Rate
- TAC - Type Allocation Code
- WEEE - Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment
- WiFi
Vodafone Quality & Safety Criteria for Device Compliancy
- Acoustic Shock
- Antenna
- Release Notes
- Safety manual
- SAR - Specific Absorption Rate
- Temperature
- Type Acceptance
- Vodafone Requirements
- Vodafone Settings
- Vodafone Tests
Vodafone Device Requirements for Feature, Services & Applications
- Messaging, RCS/RBM
- VoLTE, VoWIFI, ViLTE
- Location services
- MyVodafone
- Bearer Technology
- Device Management
- Local Connectivity
- SIM/eSIM
- Security
Read more »Click here to register and get ‘Device Requirements & Compliance Framework’
Supplier Ethics
Our Code of Ethical Purchasing (CEP) sets out the standards we expect of suppliers.