Everything looked fine in the supplier meeting. Then we stepped outside!

I’ve sat in many supplier meetings in India with European and Japanese teams.

The format is familiar.

• A well-prepared presentation
• Policies neatly documented
• Confident responses from management
• A general sense that everything is under control

And by the end of the meeting, it often feels like:

“This supplier is doing quite well.”

But then something interesting happens.

The real conversation starts after the meeting ends

In one recent visit with a European team, we stepped out of the meeting room and spent some informal time with the supplier.

No slides. No structure. No pressure.

And slowly, the tone changed.

• Challenges started to surface
• Concerns were shared more openly
• Gaps that were never mentioned in the meeting came up naturally

Nothing dramatic. But enough to realise:

The meeting hadn’t shown us the full picture.

Why does this happen?

This isn’t about suppliers hiding things.

In many cases, it’s about how interactions are shaped.

In India:

• There is a strong tendency to avoid conflict or negative perception
• Meetings are often seen as moments to present stability, not uncertainty
• Sensitive topics—especially around labour or workforce—are not easily discussed in formal settings

So what you hear in the meeting is often: the expected version of reality

Not always the complete version.

Where do the real insights come from?

From what I’ve seen on the ground, they emerge when:

• Conversations become informal
• Time is spent beyond the agenda
• Trust starts to build, even slightly
• Workers and supervisors are engaged directly

In another engagement, while speaking to workers outside formal structures, their experiences were very different from what was presented in management discussions.

And in a factory where we supported a grievance mechanism, it took months before workers felt comfortable raising concerns— even though the system was already in place.

The challenge for companies

Many teams visit suppliers with:

• limited time
• structured agendas
• pressure to “cover everything”

But this often leads to: seeing what is presented not what is experienced. And that’s where risks remain hidden.

What seems to work better

Not more questions. Not more checklists.

But a shift in approach:

• allowing space for informal dialogue
• spending time on the shop floor
• engaging beyond management
• being comfortable with slower, less structured conversations

Because that’s when suppliers start sharing what actually matters.

A simple reflection

If your last supplier visit felt smooth, well-managed, and complete…

It might be worth asking:

What did we not hear?

If you’re navigating supplier engagement or Human Rights Due Diligence in India, I’d be interested to exchange perspectives.

Often, small changes in how we engage can make a big difference in what we understand.