A team will be formed with key strategic suppliers with the executives of those companies ratifying the goals and developing a plan in how the strategy will be achieved.
[3] Supplier associations are used to develop awareness, education and change programs that are designed to achieve improvements.
This includes reducing operating costs, sharing best practice, training and strengthening the relationship between the organizations members.
Supplier associations rely on trust between organizations and where this is not embraced (for example sharing the results of improvement programs, or leaking of information to competition) benefits may be reduced.
Also in 2012, four member corporations were raided by the Japanese Fair Trade Commission following concerns raised about their compliance with anti-monopoly legislation.