Procurement: Air Liquide wins a Procurement Award in France

Air Liquide received a Gold Medal in the procurement management and team of the year category at the 10^th Procurement Awards ceremony held on June 20, 2016. This award recognizes the procurement department for its innovation, both at the supplier relationship management level and for creating value and change management.

The Air Liquide procurement department has launched several initiatives designed to shape the transformation of the procurement function, including the establishment of collaborative procurement processes involving both suppliers and employees upstream in projects and the enhanced steering of the procurement sector with the opportunity for specific career paths.

The technical sophistication of Air Liquide's business and its commitment to Corporate Sustainability explain its practice of supplier qualification and development. Suppliers are often integrated upstream in projects. In particular, this approach makes it possible to draw on the expertise of innovative companies with which the Group can build technical links and partnerships for the development of new technologies.

In practice, this open innovation approach is based on networking platforms that are both internal and external. In 2016, more than 80 collaborative procurement projects have been identified.

In parallel, Air Liquide has also created a specific occupational category for procurement, offering teams career path and training opportunities. Combined with the digital animation of the procurement community, the creation of a career path places procurement skills management within a new dynamic.