SUPPLIERS Supplier relationship management

Supplier relationship management

Supplier collaboration

At Gold Fields, we understand the value to be unlocked through close collaboration with our suppliers, which is why we choose to build relationships based on trust and loyalty, and which deliver mutual benefit. We take a view that our suppliers are not just vendors. Instead, we seek to establish long-term relationships based on open exchange of ideas, plus an element of shared risk. Ideally, both parties should have "skin in the game".

Gold Fields’ business relies on multiple, large-scale suppliers and contractors to carry out mining, development, construction and other forms of work at its operations. All suppliers and contractors are included in Gold Fields own health and safety management systems to ensure that contractors benefit from safe and healthy working conditions. All stakeholders wishing to report human rights violations are able to make use of Gold Fields confidential, third- party whistleblowing hotline.

Where such complaints are made, Gold Fields pursues the matter vigorously.

Strategic partnerships

Gold Fields' strategic partners are those that supply critical commodities and/or services to our operations. These suppliers typically require more focus than those who provide low-value/low-risk goods and/or services.

For the relationship to evolve beyond that of a transactional nature, the parties must be prepared to share long-term plans. Often, this can involve the provision of sensitive commercial information to a key supplier, enabling them to plan their activities around Gold Fields' longer-term strategy (and vice versa). This demands a high degree of trust between the parties, which Gold Fields views as essential for an effective strategic partnership.