Amplifying Supplier Diversity With Grace Day 1

I recently attended the MSDUK Conference about amplifying supplier diversity to infinity and beyond. I promised to write an article about my insights from attending this event, but I had to reserve time and space to put my thoughts in writing. 

As an ethnic minority business owner, I had the opportunity to attend this event and learn more about inclusive procurement. In addition, it allowed me insights into what other dynamics are at play when interacting with professionals from the procurement department today.

Mary Jane Roy is a dear friend of mine and an ally in amplifying inclusion on so many levels. For example, she introduced me last year to Peter Zerp from Accenture, who leads their supplier diversity program. Peter is also one of the Amplify DEI Summit 2021 speakers, another connection made possible because people like us value diversity, equity, and inclusion.

So this was my first encounter with Supplier Diversity.The conversation I had with Peter felt like the Aladdin & Jasmin song.

Supplier Diversity is a business strategy that ensures a diverse supply chain when buying products and services for any company or organization. It places a focus on developing a diversified supply chain that seeks to ensure that suppliers with a diverse background are taken into account in the procurement strategies of the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.

Supplier diversity is a revolutionary way to change the ecosystem on an impactful level. It's not just about changing how we do business but also who our suppliers are and what they look like. 

The best part? 

You can activate this in your organization today with a minor investment - or even none- if you want; it's optional for organizations of any size. A whole new experience awaits those that take on supplier diversity.

ESDP works to break down ethnic minorities' barriers when entering the economy, like public or private sector supply chains.

ESDP's mission is to help ethnic minority businesses, who often face challenges accessing markets due to their geographical location or cultural differences. Connecting these companies with corporate organizations committed to supplier diversity can grow and create sustainable jobs for everyone across Europe.

I attended my first ever ESDP event in Amsterdam and learned much about supplier diversity's power. Supplier Diversity can be a way for me as an underrepresented business owner to amplify my brand and connect with organizations who are looking for ways to boost DEI through the procurement channel. It was great seeing all SMEs working together with the big corporate companies, both coming together to work towards making society more equal.

The second time I went to an ESDP event was recently in Berlin, just before the summer break started. Again, there were a lot of corporate brands, and I made sure that ask questions about supplier diversity so they could demystify the procurement myths!

When my business first began working with large corporations a few years ago, I felt like David versus Goliath. I shared some of the challenges I faced during the purchasing process, i.e., receiving a contract from a big international corporation with many conditions that did not apply to me as a small minority business owner. Still, it was more practical for the bigger businesses. I respect the organization and the people working for this organization, so I will not disclose the name of the organization. 

This experience taught me valuable lessons. It also taught me that being an ethnic minority business owner can be challenging, especially when dealing with big companies. However, I've learned to thrive and that entrepreneurs need to be resilient, especially when their businesses are closely tied to their hearts and souls. My business is like a child—I want to leave something impactful behind for future generations by amplifying diversity, equity, and inclusion!

And then, there was the MSDUK event in the inner city of London. So again, this is a story shared through my eyes where I share insights with grace and constructive feedback for both parties—small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and procurement professionals.

Day one was an international day for guests only. Full transparency, I am one of the ethnic minority business owners who received full conference access through sponsorship.

This day was about having a private conversation with many businesses and corporate members of MSDUK. I felt like a fly on the wall, hearing both parties' challenges. Then, Shirley Billot spoke about her brand Kadalys, which creates organic and sustainable skincare made from banana waste. She applied her growth mindset even when people didn't believe in her brand. 

As an underrepresented business owner, you need to activate your growth mindset because you might be dealing with different challenges. When somebody says no, see that as an inspiration to pursue your dream. I could identify with Ms. Billlot; I am a Ghanaian born and raised in the Netherlands, which comes with challenges that I try to approach from a strategic angle.

You can do a few things when you want to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion through the supply chain. One is to find out how your values align with the company's values, which is a valuable tip for the business owner. You have to find out what the company's values are so that you can connect your values with them. When approaching the procurement officer or procurement professional, approach them with that you've done some research because coming to them without doing the research and asking them what they do. It will harm you and your brand. So do your research!

Learn what they do so that you know what to say to them. For example, learn how they are advocating for diversity or ESG.

Find a way to add value to their organizations. The organizations in this room have a lot of spending budgets.

I'm not going to talk about how much money it is because it's not about that; it's about how they spend their money and how they can create a meaningful impact by amplifying supplier diversity.

I know that the companies that attended the MSDUK event have dedicated themselves to amplifying DEI within a procurement system. During his talk, the host of the event, Rondu Vincent, was a great speaker and taught me much about DEI combined with supplier diversity. 

Mayank Shah, the founder of MSDUK, thank you for creating this platform, which is much needed in Europe. Plus, the MSDUK team for creating an impactful congress!

Supplier diversity opened up a whole new world for me regarding connecting the dots and amplifying diversity by partnering with the big corporations. 

Nedra Dickison from Accenture mentioned that it's essential to give procurement professionals grace because they're advocating for SMEs from within the organization—which isn't always easy and doesn't always happen with a magic wand.

I listened to you, Nedra. And I'm also asking for grace towards the suppliers. Both parties deserve grace. 

The report Minority Business Owners Matter: A research audit of economic contributions made by ethnic minority business owners and how these business owners can amplify your organization. Especially when your organization has made a commitment toward amplifying DEI. 

Think about the supplier diversity program you can activate within your procurement system. So, people like Christina Calje, Nelson Ajulo, Ana Álvarez, and Michael Musandu, who are featured in the report, will be a revelation of information you will see that will show data about things from the European perspective because that's all that was also missing before.

I also want to say thank you to Harriet Michel, the former National Minority Supplier Development Council president. Her keynote was so inspiring and thought-provoking that it made me think about Sankofa, an adinkra symbol that talks about going back and fetching it—going back to the roots, learning from it, and bringing it toward the future. 

Supplier diversity is important because it's one way we can learn about the history behind our efforts and how they've evolved. In addition, it's vital to know those changemakers who were passionate about this work so we can continue our efforts in making sure we're being inclusive of everyone involved in our company's success."

They changed things without waiting for the law to catch up. Instead, they made a change happen so that the law would follow up afterward. Gary Baker, the Swedish country manager, mentioned this, 

"Please don't wait for the legislation to change; don't wait for the legislation's definition; we have so much within our power that we can do now." 

Even though this is new and it will mean that we will have to provide a business case for that, again, when you sign up to become a member of the European supplier diversity program (ESDP), they can help you with creating your business case. Don't miss out and become a member!

Harriet Michelle is officially retired, but what she shared during that event and the history she walked us through from then to where we are now giving me a new perspective about Supplier Diversity. So I want to pass the baton on to those who don't know her. Please do your research about her because she's an impactful person to know. Janice Bryant asked questions about accountability for both parties by putting things on the table.

When companies try to amplify Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through supplier diversity but hold the money of small business owners for 45, 60, or 90 days—this does not sit well with me. So I had to speak on it! 

The money you are investing in SMEs is not money that can cause your organization to end up in a financial rut. Some organizations at the event shared that they have a 7 or 14 payment term because they want to honor inclusive procurement.

Speaking up is helpful because this example was shared throughout the whole conference.

In Europe, we have different definitions of race; in France, for example, race does not exist. In Europe, we don't register race because it is not allowed—which is challenging. After all, we need data to amplify inclusive procurement.

In Europe, the emphasis is on gender diversity. Correction, the emphasis is more on women's diversity while intersectionality is being ignored. My wish for the future is that Europe allows specific data metrics so that we can create an impactful change that amplifies authentic supplier diversity.

Part 2 will be continued soon.

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The Amplify DEI Newsletter is a bi-weekly newsletter that focuses on amplifying diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to activate and apply the inclusive mindset. Vivian Acquah is also known as the Inclusive Workplace Wellness Advocate (aka speaker, moderator, coach, facilitator). She is committed to making topics related to workplace wellness & DEI accessible to everyone. 

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Free resources to activate or boost your DEI journey

•  The Great Resignation: How Employees and Managers Should Respond
• Using VR To Unlock Empathy
• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Reflections on DEI