Know who you are buying from before you commit.
Supplier vetting
Supplier vetting is the desk-based first check. We confirm the legal entity, ownership, business licence and export history, check sanctions and adverse media, and establish whether you are dealing with a factory or a trading company.
Supplier due diligence
- Financial health and dependency on a small number of customers
- Ownership, related parties and sub-contracting
- Certifications such as ISO 9001, and whether they are current
- Social and ethical compliance, including modern slavery risk
- Product compliance with UK safety, labelling and chemical rules
Factory audit
A factory audit is an on-site visit to test what the desk review cannot: real capacity, equipment condition, process control, quality records, working conditions and whether sub-contracting is happening. We use in-country auditors and a standard scorecard so suppliers can be compared fairly.
Supplier risk assessment
We rate each supplier on financial, operational, geographic, compliance and single-source risk, weighted by how critical the product is to you. High-risk, high-spend suppliers get a mitigation plan: a second source, safety stock or tighter contract terms. See supply chain resilience and China plus one.
Pre-shipment inspection
A pre-shipment inspection checks finished goods against the approved sample and specification before the balance is paid and the goods leave the factory. We agree sampling levels and acceptance criteria up front so the result is objective.
Supplier onboarding
Supplier onboarding sets the relationship up properly: quality agreement, specification sign-off, packing and labelling rules, KPIs and a review cadence. It links directly into supplier performance management.
This service is usually part of wider offshore sourcing and product sourcing work, but can be bought on its own for an existing supplier base.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a supplier audit and supplier due diligence?
Due diligence is a broad review of the supplier as a business: ownership, finances, compliance and risk. A supplier or factory audit is an on-site assessment of how the facility actually operates. Most buyers need both for critical suppliers.
How often should suppliers be audited?
Audit before the first order for any critical supplier, then on a risk basis: annually for high-risk or high-spend suppliers, and after any significant quality failure or change of site.
Can you audit suppliers in China, Vietnam and India?
Yes. We use in-country audit partners working to our scorecard, so results from different countries can be compared directly.
Related services
Specialist areas that complement this work.
About Caventis
Caventis (Caventis Ltd, registered in England & Wales, company number 17158263) is a UK procurement, supply chain and cost reduction consultancy. It works with UK and PE-backed businesses to identify and deliver savings across procurement, operations and back-office spend, typically on a shared-savings basis where the majority of the fee is tied to realised, P&L-verified outcomes.
The firm was founded by Matt Buckley (MCIPS, Cranfield MBA, FCMI Chartered Manager), who leads every engagement personally, drawing on 15+ years of procurement, supply chain and cost transformation experience at bp and General Motors. Caventis is headquartered in the United Kingdom and serves clients nationwide.
Unsure about a supplier?
We can vet, audit and risk-rate your critical suppliers.