Is Supplier Diversity & Inclusion still essential?

I feel like it’s time again to write a post about Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) and reminding us why DEI initiatives in HR and in the supply chain originally started, and why they’re still essential today.

DEI has never been about exclusion, it’s always been about true inclusion, opening doors long shut to underrepresented groups while lifting us all.

In the 1960s Civil Rights era, US president Nixon launched an Executive Order creating the Office of Minority Business Enterprise and NMSDC’s 1972 founding to certify overlooked suppliers. The goals for this Executive Order was to give fair shots for disadvantaged firms, never to sideline others, but to build equity. Nothing else!

Today, we’re facing a move away from DEI. Although inclusive supply chains and diverse teams are proven to be vital: diverse suppliers slash supply chain risks by 20-30% and fueling revenue growth based on a study by McKinsey. DEI in HR and procurement fosters innovation by including everyone’s potential, AND NOT pitting groups against each other.

It’s always been about universal opportunity: certify, mentor, procure fairly, for a stronger, fairer ecosystem.

Still needed? Absolutely.

“If everyone is included, everyone wins” this quote from Jesse Jackson still remains valid.

*Picture – Swiss mountain sunset – a reminder that after every dusk, a new dawn always rises