Vendor Screening and Due Diligence

Establish a preventive control by screening external partners before onboarding. The goal is to reduce exposure to harassment by clients, vendors, and contractors. This step aligns with workplace safety, legal compliance, and the culture of respect in business relationships.

Key screening steps include assessing past conduct related to harassment, reviewing anti harassment policies, and verifying compliance with the company code of conduct. Collect references, confirm training history, and require the vendor to share a summary of any dispute history.

• Assess past harassment and discrimination records
• Review anti harassment policies and code of conduct
• Verify compliance with contract terms
• Collect references and training history
• Request a summary of any dispute history

Onboarding should extend to contract clauses and governance. Require the vendor to sign a vendor code of conduct and provide proof of prior harassment training. Use this stage to set expectations and reporting channels for external partners.

Maintain records of screening results in a secure system. Create a risk register that flags high risk partners. Schedule periodic re screening and update due diligence when roles or laws change.

Best practice is to escalate any red flags to the procurement and legal teams. When in doubt, pause onboarding until risk is evaluated. This proactive approach cuts potential harms before interactions begin.