How we operate

Although we are based in Europe, we have relationships with many local and international suppliers elsewhere.

O2 has a significant annual spend budget covering a wide range of products and services, both for internal consumption and onward sale to O2 customers.

Our practices are strictly in line with our Business Principles and they ensure, for example, that we award business solely on merit and that we agree payment terms with suppliers that are fair and reasonable.

We have a set of Procurement Policies and Priciples that apply to all our operations and these are implemented locally by each of our procurement teams.

Our teams are organised to function in each of our regions – the UK, Germany, Ireland, the Czech Republic and the Isle of Man – as part of their local business. But we also have Group-level procurement to promote the efficiencies of single contractual relationships with common suppliers across the Telefónica O2 Europe Group.

Our O2 European Procurement Board meets regularly to identify and take opportunities, for establishing best practice. The aim is to gain competitive advantage for O2 through strategic procurement activities, to continuously improve professionalism, and to obtain world-class value in our supply chain.

We also aim to minimise any adverse effects on society and the environment by working co-operatively with our suppliers and other third parties. Close dialogue with our partners is designed to promote and develop socially responsible policies that have a positive effect on all concerned.

At all times, we conduct our activities fairly and equitably and operate within the bounds of local and national laws and regulations.

We operate a Relationship Management Programme for our key suppliers to enable us to work with each supplier to maximise the two-way value for both parties.

Through our membership of the Global e-Sustainability Initiative we are playing a lead role in helping to develop standardised tools and processes that all companies in the industry can use to help manage their supply chains.