Negotiating ethically: Our tools and advice

I am often asked ethical questions about negotiating with one or more suppliers after receiving offers.

• Should we give all suppliers the opportunity to negotiate?
• Why am I negotiating with anyone other than the top two suppliers?

Find out the answer in this tool

Negotiating ethically without giving up your objectives

Negotiating ethically doesn't mean giving up on defending your company's interests: it means favouring methods that preserve the long-term supplier relationship rather than chasing a one-off gain at the cost of broken trust. That means being transparent about your decision criteria, communicating expectations clearly, and refusing unfair pressure tactics: fake competing bids, artificial deadlines, misinformation about competitors.

Our tools and advice help you structure a negotiation that stays firm on your company's objectives while building a lasting supplier partnership and a reputation as a reliable buyer in your market. Our procurement white papers give you the written frameworks to share with your team.