Only 31% of Spanish companies with 10 or more employees use technology to buy and in GDP we will be among the first in Europe, but not in digitisation, an aspect in which we are below the European average (45%) in proportion of companies whose purchasing processes are carried out through electronic platforms.

This was evident during the Compliance and Good Purchasing Practices conference organised by Jaggaer, IQS, and CTAIMA on 12 April in Madrid, in which Miguel Nieto, partner in the Public and Regulatory Law department of Andersen Tax & Legal, took part.

The speakers stressed that, among other advantages, technology allows suppliers to be selected and homologated with all legal guarantees, and that the use of digital tools is essential to guarantee transparency in the processes and respect for the rules on the part of both the contracting party and the contracted suppliers. 

Digitization is also key for companies and suppliers to ensure compliance with internal corporate rules (ethical code) and external (national and international laws), as underlined by the directors of Enagás, Abertis, CLH and CNMC and the partner of Andersen Tax & Legal.

Another advantage of a digitized compliance system is that the software can detect regulatory changes that affect the contracting company or if a particular supplier has any type of fine. Even at a more advanced level, it can alert to negative information about the company.

However, when faced with the option of terminating a contract, managers agreed that "it is more important to create culture than to control," so it is preferable to prevent problems with a good compliance system than to fire the supplier.