So you want to be a supplier?

Doing business with Eden

Our commitment to local sourcing is at the very heart of how we approach our procurement, supporting the key aspects of sustainability and sharing success in our local community. The Eden Project is a major consumer of goods and services in the Cornish economy, spending more than £10 million a year with local businesses. Since opening our doors in March 2001 we’ve had dealings with over 3,000 suppliers. We are proud that over 80 per cent of our catering supplies are currently sourced in Cornwall and some 50 per cent of all our other supplies come through local businesses.

Case study videos are available on our YouTube channel edenprojectTV.

Become a supplier

If you’re interested in supplying Eden, it is important you understand how we operate. It will also help to understand what we look for from our suppliers. Our policies are straightforward. Everything we do must be economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound. We expect the same of our suppliers and their supply chains. Our criteria are what you would naturally expect Eden to be striving to achieve. The good news is that it will also be of sound benefit to your business, now and in the future because it’s all about sustainability.

Catering

We have four key sourcing priorities – Quality, Price, Seasonality and Cornishness. This means we strive to use Cornish products as a first choice and Cornish suppliers as a second. Where neither can supply the quality or quantity we seek, we then work in pro-active ways to raise standards and production locally, so that we can revert to Cornish supplies with confidence at the earliest opportunity.

Retail

What we sell at Eden embodies what we stand for – real life examples of better products that meet demanding environmental standards which may be sourced on our own doorstep or from communities further afield. We’re seeking to do things differently and we’re always keen to encourage and support our suppliers to pursue sustainable best practice as well as satisfying the traditional benchmarks of good quality, competitive price and outstanding service.

Supplier Assessment Process

We have devised a simple supplier assessment form to guide you through the process. It will give you the opportunity to tell us about your business operations and your products as you respond to a variety of issues that fall under the following key categories:

EnvironmentalEconomicSocial

Your unique selling proposition

As you go through our assessment form, you may find you can respond positively to most of the questions raised. Or you maybe in the process of addressing them, which is great. However, if you find yourself lacking in a few areas, please don’t despair. We have close working relationships with a broad range of business support agencies in and around Cornwall, all of whom are keen to help local firms do more business with Eden (and in markets further a field). Together, we may be able to help you identify the key issues of concern and seek to implement cost-effective changes to improve your business prospects.

Fill in our Supplier Assessment Form