Brenda Marshall, EPrincipal, Global Diversity Solutions, Kelly Services
Joe Matthews, Vice President, Purchasing and Diversity Officer, Gentex
Guillermo Cisneros, Executive Director, West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
This is about keeping our community competitive;
winning via a strategy of inclusion. It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s about creating value, creating competitiveness, and driving community wealth and growth
DEVELOPING YOUR DIVERSE SUPPLY CHAIN Lack of diversity in supply chains is not a new problem, but even as conversations shift to diversification, many companies resist change because they feel minority suppliers do not have the capacity or skill to deliver what they’re accustomed to. This is part of the process, the panelists say. As West Michigan businesses more frequently turn tominority-owned suppliers for their supply chain, they will need to take steps to develop strong, meaningful relationships with them. Putting in the time and effort to guide these suppliers forward, Ludwig says, can lead to diverse suppliers bringing even greater value to the table than traditional ones.
BIRGIT KLOHS
in the diversity and talent development of our community?” Ludwig pointed out that this challenge cannot be solved all at once. Small steps in the right direction will ultimately result in a rich and effective process for diversity and inclusion within your company. “This is about keeping our community competitive; winning via a strategy of inclusion. It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s about creating value, creating competitiveness, and driving community wealth and growth,” said Birgit Klohs, President and CEO of The Right Place, “Safe is the new risky. Take a risk, take those first steps to help develop these businesses into what they have the potential to be.”
In Marshall’s eyes, the ship has already sailed, and those who aren’t on board are going to be struggling to catch up, “If your company is not being inclusive or diverse, it’s not going to be able to effectively compete in theglobal marketplace,” she says. Cisneros believes it’s not a matter of if companies choose to diversify, but when. Demographics are rapidly changing, and soon, more people will demand to know why businesses are not becoming more diverse, even as the community is. Whoever starts this transformation early will have an advantage in the years to come. THE BIGGER PICTURE Rounding out the panel discussion, Cisneros asked attendees, “How are you investing
WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO DIVERSIFY?
In short, the answer is now. The stars will not align to present you with the perfect time to make these changes, says Matthews. Companies should already be actively working to diversify their supply chains in a meaningful way.
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SUPPLIER DIVERSITY
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