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EXPERTISE 05

Duty of vigilance and supplier risks in Central Africa

Q: Do you operate only in Gabon?

Gabon — Libreville, Port-Gentil and the interior of the country — is the core area of operation. Depending on the scope and the partners that can be mobilised, the support can extend to other countries in Central Africa.

Q: Do you replace a certified audit or a law firm?

No. ASI CONSULTING's support complements audits, legal advice and internal frameworks: it brings the on-the-ground depth they often lack, and directs towards the relevant professionals when the situation requires it.

Q: How is confidentiality ensured?

Exchanges and documents are handled within a strict confidentiality framework: restricted access, information limited to what is necessary, reporting to the requester alone. The terms are set out in writing before any assignment.

Q: How does an assignment begin?

With a request describing the situation and the scope. ASI CONSULTING qualifies the request, proposes a discussion, then sets out in writing the objective, the method and the limits of the support before starting the work.

The vigilance frameworks of international groups require a real understanding of the value chain. Yet, from a distance, a supplier questionnaire does not reveal what the field knows. ASI CONSULTING provides that visibility — documented, factual and ready for use by the head office.

Updated: June 2026Author: Nicolas SouléGabon · Central Africa

IN SUMMARY

—ASI CONSULTING documents the reality of suppliers, subcontractors and subsidiaries in Gabon and Central Africa.

—The support produces usable materials: supplier profiles, timelines, factual summaries, evidence of due diligence.

—It complements — without replacing — audits, legal advice and internal compliance frameworks.

Who is this support for?

For organisations subject to vigilance obligations — or that simply want to know who they are really working with.

Compliance departments Legal departments Procurement departments CSR departments Law firms Consulting firms Investors

Risks to anticipate

01Social and working conditions at a supplier or subcontractor

02Environmental risks linked to sites and practices

03Opaque or undeclared subcontracting chain

04Gaps between questionnaire declarations and the reality on the ground

05Missing or unverifiable documentation (authorisations, registers, contracts)

06Inability to produce evidence of due diligence if challenged

Type of support offered

Field analysis

Site visits, observations and local interviews, reported in factual accounts.

Documentary verification

Collection and review of documents: authorisations, registers, contracts, certificates.

Supplier profiles

A documented overview for each supplier or subcontractor, readable by the head office.

Timelines and summaries

Dated, sourced and prioritised facts — not opinions.

Evidence of due diligence

Traceable materials, ready to be integrated into the group's vigilance framework.

Ongoing monitoring

Local information reporting and periodic updating of findings.

How we work

Scoping

Scope, suppliers concerned, the group's vigilance framework.

Collection

Documents, site visits, interviews — in Gabon and Central Africa.

Structuring

Profiles, timelines, mapping of gaps and risk areas.

Reporting

A summary ready for use by the head office, treatment recommendations, follow-up.

Example situations

Typical situations, presented in an anonymised and illustrative manner.

TYPICAL EXAMPLE — PROCUREMENT

A European group needs to qualify a Gabonese supplier before signing a contract. The support: documentary verification, site visit, supplier profile and points of vigilance ahead of signature.

TYPICAL EXAMPLE — COMPLIANCE

An internal report raises concerns about working conditions at a subcontractor. The support: establishing the facts, timeline, documentation — for an informed decision by the head office.

TYPICAL EXAMPLE — FIRM

An international firm is preparing a vigilance review. The support: structured field collection and local information reporting, integrated into its framework.

Scope limits

ASI CONSULTING does not deliver certification, regulated audits or legal opinions. The support provides documented and structured facts; their legal qualification rests with the client's advisors, towards whom the firm directs when necessary.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Duty of vigilance: what we are often asked

A specific question? Write to us — a confidential reply.

What does ASI CONSULTING concretely produce within a vigilance framework? −

Factual and traceable deliverables: documented supplier profiles, visit reports, dated timelines, summaries of the gaps identified. Materials that can be directly integrated into the group's vigilance plan and case files.

Do you operate only in Gabon? +

Do you replace a certified audit or a law firm? +

How is confidentiality ensured? +

How does an assignment begin? +

A supplier, a site or a subsidiary to document?

Describe the scope. ASI CONSULTING will tell you whether on-the-ground support is possible, and in what form.

Submit your request