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ESDP x HEINEKEN Connect Event, Amsterdam November 13th 2024
Heineken recently hosted a groundbreaking supplier diversity event, bringing together ethnic minority businesses (EMBs), procurement leaders, and corporate representatives from across Europe and the US in Amsterdam. This event marked a significant step forward in promoting diversity and inclusion within the European business landscape.
Heineken’s Supplier Diversity Journey
Adam Smith and Andressa Reis from Heineken kicked off the event by sharing insights into the company’s supplier diversity efforts. They highlighted Heineken’s progress and emphasized their commitment to learning and adapting along the way to create meaningful impact. With over 30,000 suppliers and approximately 1,000 buyers, Heineken recognizes the immense potential for diversity within its supply chain.
Lushentha Naidoo of ESDP then provided some insights into the European landscape on ethnic minority owned businesses. You can read many important facts and figures in the OPEN Minority Business Matter report.
Corporate Panel Discussion
A panel discussion moderated by Peter Zerp, Optimist and Supplier Inclusion & Diversity Expert at Accenture, featured:
- Farida Gibbs, Chief Executive, Gibbs Consulting, first MSDUK certified EMB
- Kemo Camara, Founder and CEO at Omek, first ESDP certified EMB
- Hervé Le Faou, Chief Procurement Officer & Sustainability leader at HEINEKEN CSCO
- Nicole van Det, Senior Managing Director | Global and EMEA Strategic Clients Portfolio Lead, Accenture
My take away from the panel was a great discussion around quotas… like;
🔦supporting quotas for positive encouragement
🔦 public sector procurement often follows government requirements
🔦global companies are accustomed to quotas in the US
🔦rather take proactive action than waiting for legislation
🔦take a hybrid model combining quotas and non-quota approaches to drive impact
🚫 but also personal embarrassments at not being more advanced
▶ Most importantly was Hervé’s statement though **Diverse suppliers make us win together** which totally underscores Heineken’s belief in the power of inclusive procurement.
Pitches from ESDP Certified EMB’s
The event wouldn’t have been an EMB event without the pitches from 7 ESDP-certified businesses, demonstrating the talent and innovation within the EMB community. These presentations highlighted the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships between corporations and diverse suppliers.
One additional highlight was the chat between the founder of Gazelle Global, Leslie Owusu and Dow Chemical’s Saskia Bernal Medina – van Goethem who talked about their collaboration success.
Of course, with an event held at Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, we finished the event off with great beer from the host and very important lots of networking with old and new friends. That’s where business starts!
Looking Ahead
This impactful event set a new standard for supplier diversity initiatives in Europe. As more companies recognize the value of a more diverse supplier base, we can expect to see an increase in similar events and opportunities for diverse owned businesses in Europe in 2025.
The success of Heineken’s supplier diversity event serves as an inspiration and a call to action for other corporations to embrace inclusive procurement practices. By fostering relationships between diverse owned businesses and large corporations, we can drive economic growth, innovation, and social progress throughout Europe.
