When people think about the JOSCAR questionnaire, it's easy to assume it’s just another compliance exercise.

From my perspective at QinetiQ, it’s much more than that.

I use the sustainability information and analysis tool within JOSCAR almost every day to help me make decisions and provide guidance to my supply chain managers. It's one of the first things I look at because it helps me understand where the risks might be and where we need to dig a little deeper.

Whether I'm looking at carbon emissions, reading through the sustainability responses or simply using the ESG scores to get a quick snapshot, I'm building a picture of you (the supplier) before we have any conversations.

People sometimes assume
we're looking for a perfect score.
We're not. 

What we're really trying to understand is how mature your approach is. Have you started the journey? Have you committed to science-based targets? Do you have a carbon reduction plan? Are you taking sustainability seriously?

And remember, sustainability is much broader than climate. We also look at areas such as modern slavery because these are important business risks that need to be understood and managed. As buyers, we need confidence that the organisations we partner and work with are managing these risks responsibly, not only within their own business but throughout their supply chain too.

This data doesn't replace conversations; it helps us
have better ones. 

If something catches my eye, I work with my Supply Chain Managers so we can have an open conversation with you. The data helps us decide who we need to speak to and what those conversations should focus on.

This isn't about catching suppliers out. It's to understand risk, make informed decisions and ensure we're working with responsible suppliers who align with our own sustainability ambitions.

That's why keeping your JOSCAR profile up to date really matters.

The information our suppliers provide helps us decide where to invest our time. It enables us to have more targeted conversations where they'll have the greatest impact, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach across the supply chain.

The one thing I'd say to suppliers is this: don't think of your JOSCAR profile as just another questionnaire to complete. It's your opportunity to show us who you really are as a business.

If you're investing in sustainability, undertaking supply chain due diligence, reducing your carbon footprint or improving your processes, tell us. We genuinely use that information. It helps us understand how responsible you are as a supplier and whether you're someone we want to have further conversations with.

At QinetiQ, we buy responsibly.

That means understanding the risks in our supply chain, but it also means recognising suppliers who are making real progress.

JOSCAR gives us the information to do both. So, the more complete and up to date your profile is, the better equipped we are to understand your business, have conversations and build stronger relationships that benefit us both.