The Better Buying Partnership Index (BBPI) is a short, anonymous, subjective survey of the quality of buyer-supplier partnerships, consisting of 12 subjective questions, which opens for supplier ratings on October 1st.

Where the Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) focuses on Tier 1 of the supply chain, the BBPI can be used in multiple supply chains, covers the whole of the garment industry, and is also suitable for use within the wider consumer goods industry.

The survey covers operational efficiency and the management of key deadlines; forecasting visibility and the predictability of future orders; the fairness of financial practices; the buyer’s efforts to partner with suppliers towards improved sustainability; the buyer’s communication practices and; the brand or retailer’s status as a customer of choice.

Suppliers rate their buyers on a scale of 1-5, using Net Promoter Scoring, with buyers rated as either True Partners, Collaborators, or Detractors. The survey is quick and easy to complete; it takes a supplier just 10 minutes to rate each of their buyers.

The BBPI enables suppliers to flag areas of concern with their customers, which buyers can then explore in more detail via the BBPPI survey. Subscriber companies receive a confidential report, which includes their overall True Partner and by-questions scores, an industry benchmark against which they can compare their performance, and recommendations from suppliers on how they can improve. By subscribing year over year, companies can demonstrate progress to both internal and external stakeholders, including C-suite, investors, and regulatory bodies.