The British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) today unveiled its updated Code of Practice, which offers assurance to schools that if they procure from its members, they are buying quality products and services they can trust.
The new Code of Practice is the result of a year-long consultation with industry and schools to understand what assurances schools want when buying products and services.
This Code of Practice is a mandatory membership commitment given by members to BESA, which represents over 300 of the UK’s world-leading education suppliers.
Each member is expected, as a condition of membership, to meet the ethical standards provided for in the Code of Practice in that member’s relationship with the member’s customers.
Only companies who sign up to the Code of Practice, updated to include issues such as safeguarding and data security, can use the BESA “tick” logo on their marketing materials and websites.
Caroline Wright, Director General of BESA, said: “Schools have long looked for the BESA logo when deciding which companies to procure from, as it is a clear indication that they are providing quality products and services that they can trust.”
“The updated Code of Practice reflects BESA members’ desire to ensure they are always at the forefront of offering the highest quality of products and services to schools around the world, and providing a world-class customer experience.”
The BESA Code of Practice offers schools assurance in five key areas: Quality and Standards, Transparency and Openness, Integrity, Safeguarding and Data Security and Discriminatory Conduct. It is available to view in full here.
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Notes to editors:
BESA’s directors and Executive Council members are available for comment. To discuss this story further, contact: Cleo Fatoorehchi cleo@besa.org.uk / +44(0)20 7537 4997
About BESA:
BESA, the British Educational Suppliers Association, is the trade association covering the entirety of the UK educational suppliers sector. It operates on a not-for-profit basis, and is accountable to an Executive Council that is elected by member companies.
It has an 80-year heritage serving the UK education sector, and represents over 300 educational suppliers in the UK, including manufacturers and distributors of equipment, materials, books, consumables, furniture, technology, ICT hardware and EdTech to the education market.
