Purchasing Association of Slovenia

The Purchasing Association of Slovenia (ZNS) brings together more than 400 members from private and public sector and has been promoting the development of purchasing profession in Slovenia for more than 20 years. By participating in shaping the economic environment in Slovenia, we co-create the growth of competitiveness of Slovenian economy and thus co-shape the Slovenian social space.

Facts about The Purchasing Association of Slovenia (ZNS):

• founded in 2003,
• members from the private and public sector,
• a non-profit, non-political, and independent national association,
• the only purchasing organisation in Slovenia where professionals from the private and public sector meet,
• a unique network in Slovenia addressing strategic issues in procurement and supply chains,
• provides opportunities to promote the purchasing profession and expand professional skills and knowledge,
• member of the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management (IFPSM),
• also has the Young Purchasers’ Section of Slovenia which was launched in 2015 under the umbrella of the Association of Purchasing Professionals of Slovenia.

ZNS members receive the monthly Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) and the quarterly Nabavnik.si, an e-newsletter for purchasing professionals. ZNS members benefit from free access to certain webinars and discounts on professional trainings, seminars and conferences organised by ZNS and some of its partner associations and contractors. In addition, ZNS members have access to the membership database on ZNS website, where they can access the archive of monthly production PMIs, event photos,videos,presentations and other materials.

Address by Marina Lindič, President and co-founder of the association

In a global world where we all strive for excellence, both procurement and our Association must perform excellently and contribute a significant share to the overall performance of the company and the sector within which procurement operates. Procurement must be directly integrated into the business strategy of the company through its procurement strategy. By creating added value, improvements and cost reductions, procurement has a direct impact on the bottom line and reputation of the company or the public sector within which it operates.

The role of purchasing in any organisation is to supply “added value” to the business of the organisation in which company is engaged (whether in the purchase of raw materials, products or services or anything else).

Effective procurement for the organisation means:

• more value for money compared to competitors,
• lower costs,
• security of supply – strategic raw materials and other components must flow on time to the company,
• better risk control – continuous search for new sources and suppliers so as not to jeopardise the company’s reputation and not to conflict with the company’s social and environmental responsibility and legislation,
• negotiation power – the ability to negotiate better terms than our competitors,
• quality improvement – to establish such relationships with suppliers, that will lead to better quality products and services and reduce delivery times to customers,
• process efficiency – using electronic and state-of-the-art technological tools to improve and shorten the procurement and related processes, …
• innovations – to work with suppliers who are innovative and share innovations (or improvements or new products) with us, and for buyers to transfer them as quickly as possible into their own work environments, thus improving the competitive advantage of their organisations.

• contributing to the development of Slovenian purchasing management,
• contributing to the success of the Slovenian economy, to the progress and prosperity of the country and the citizens of Slovenia,
• developing professional standards and job descriptions for purchasing professionals and for purchasing managers,
• facilitating mutual acquaintance, networking and socialising between Slovenian and foreign purchasing professionals, purchasing managers and all those interested in the activities of purchasing managers,
• enhancing the public image of the purchasing profession,
• encouraging respect for business ethics among purchasing professionals,
• linking between Slovenian purchasing management with similar organisations at home, in the region and globally through IFPSM (International Federation for Purchasing and Supply Management).

We are now launching the redesigned website of our Purchasing Association – ZNS. With the redesign of the website, we want to improve our communication with you and make the website more user-friendly. We want to use modern internet tools to make the information on our website more accessible to you, and to make your communication with us as fast as possible.

• Compliance with laws and regulations, more…
  We comply with and act in accordance with applicable laws. Any violation of the laws and regulations governing procurement is unacceptable and prohibited.
  We treat our business partners with respect. We respect all agreed and signed contracts.
  We oppose any discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion or ideology, disability, age, gender identity, political beliefs, or trade union activity.
• Limiting personal interest, more…
  We have zero tolerance to corruption in any form and comply with anti-corruption legislation and the internal acts of our employer. We do not accept gifts, entertainment, favours, or services from our business partners that could influence our opinions and decisions on business cooperation or impair our judgement and integrity.
  Our actions must never be in potential or actual conflict with the interests of our employer.
  Under no circumstances will we accept gifts if:
  • the employer prohibits it in the company’s internal rules,
  • we consider that the gift is intended to influence,
  • it is cash, vouchers, tickets, or anything else that is convertible into cash (precious metals, objects, etc.),
  • it is a donation or sponsorship not approved by the company’s management,
  • the supplier is in the process of bidding.

  Purchasers are not allowed to accept offers, promises or any unlawful benefits in relation to the business – directly or indirectly. Cash payments or other benefits for the purpose of influencing decisions or obtaining an unlawful advantage are not permitted. Any offer, benefit, invitation, or gift must comply with this Code and applicable regulations.
  We shall not use our professional position to solicit, accept or promise a benefit for ourselves, family members or other persons.
  The frequency and extent of hospitality accepted by suppliers should be in line with the employer’s own culture. We pay particular attention to such benefits in the process of enquiry, market research and bidding. In this case, it is best to avoid any hospitality from suppliers and to forgo any potential gifts, regardless of their value.

• Attitude towards competition, more…
  We respect fair competition and the laws and rules that on the one hand enforce and promote competition and on the other prohibit collusion, price fixing and monopoly practices.
• Corporate and social responsibility. more…
  1. Ensuring responsible consumption and production
     We strive to manage and use natural resources sustainably and to reduce waste by preventing its generation and by encouraging reuse and recycling.
     We are committed to the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all waste throughout their entire life cycle. The objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Programme are the guiding principles of our work. We encourage active engagement with suppliers to create environmentally responsible supply chains by influencing the design of products, services, and processes with minimal negative environmental footprints.
  2. Forced labour
     We reject all forms of forced labour and respect the United Nations Charters on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We explicitly support the Convention on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment and the Convention on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour. Where national regulations provide for more stringent measures, these regulations shall always take precedence over international conventions.
  3. Treatment of employees
     We are committed to the protection of employees and their health at work and support measures to improve the working environment both in our own companies and in those of our business partners.
     We also do not work with companies that do not pay their workers and their benefits, or with those that discriminate against their employees.
  4. Handling confidential information
     We respect the confidentiality of information and avoid any sharing of information that could reflect badly on a transaction or even cause it not to be concluded. We are obliged to disclose biased and damaging decisions in writing to the management of the company. If the Purchaser is unable to judge for himself whether the information is confidential, it is obligated to obtain the views of the Company’s management.
     This applies in particular to commercially sensitive information, which must be carefully guarded and must not be used either for personal gain or to hinder competition or disclosed in any form to other interested members of public without written permission of management. If sharing of supplier information is involved, we must obtain written consent from the supplier.
     Confidential information and confidential documents may only be disclosed to third parties with the express prior consent or a court order.
  5. Social media
     When using social media, Purchasers shall consider the views and interests of others, even when expressing personal opinions. Based on our position in society, we carefully assess whether and what we can publish as private individuals.

• Ethical and moral action (more below)
  We act with integrity and trustworthiness and do not cause harm to others. We act in good faith in all aspects of our business, tell the truth and do not mislead our business partners. We never disclose confidential information to third parties (unless required by legal or professional obligations to disclose such information) and we do not use confidential information for personal gain. We shall refrain from actions that could discredit our profession and personal integrity.
• Professionalism and Accountability (more below)
  We strive to make responsible decisions based on knowledge and experience and act in accordance with the highest standards of the purchasing profession in all circumstances. We regularly develop our skills, broaden our knowledge, and share it with our fellow purchasing professionals, thereby raising the profile of our profession and encouraging a professional attitude towards purchasing.
  Our actions are based on judgement of the facts and not on prejudice or self-interest. We do not allow ourselves to be influenced by others and we avoid any relationship that might improperly influence our professional and independent judgement.
  We, purchasing professionals, never abuse the bargaining power we have. Exercising undue influence, abuse of power and unprofessionalism are contrary to good business practices or even the law and do not benefit the company in the long run. We ensure that we comply with applicable laws, antitrust and trade restraint regulations.
• Fair competition (more below)
  We are committed to fair competition by giving all potential suppliers equal opportunities to participate in the bidding process and selecting suppliers based on objective criteria that prevent subjective selection and collusion.
• Sustainable operations (more below)
  We strive for purchasing that has positive environmental, social, and economic impacts throughout its life cycle (source: ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement). We act in a socially responsible manner and contribute to sustainable development by ensuring responsible consumption and production.
  If you cannot decide for yourself what is right and what is wrong in certain circumstances, consult your line manager!