Bunnings on Monday sent its manager for ethical sourcing,Laura Gaspert,and Belinda Rakers,the company’s category manager for green life products,to face the inquiry. Both executives defended the hardware chain’s practice of creating supply agreements that don’t contain purchasing commitments,and argued the company provides suppliers with weekly data on sales of their products instead.
However,NSW Nationals senator Ross Cadell was scathing of Bunnings’ persistent claim that it was committed to working with its suppliers to build strong relationships.
“This is the eighth time I’ve heard[this response],” said Cadell,who added that even Coles and Woolworths had had some suppliers say positive things about the supermarkets.
“No one is saying anything good about Bunnings in the green life supply. All the people who have come to you,that’s great because we’re told to ‘smile to survive’.
Cadell asked the Bunnings executives:“People have said that they’ll say nice things to you because they want to keep contracts. Why is no one coming to us and saying you are good corporate citizens?”
“That hasn’t been our experience,” Gaspert said in response.