A focus on Supplier Diversity – Part 1 of 2

As I kick off a new year of business for Total Engagement Consulting, I will start where I left off at the end of 2012. As the year came to a close, I seemed to be involved in various items around the hot growing area of Supplier Diversity. As companies and governments seek to find the widest selection of qualified suppliers to deliver cost-effective and innovative products and services, it makes great business sense to focus on a supplier diversity program that throws out the net to encompass the widest possible range of suppliers.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management,  representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management, representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries.


In Mid-December, an online SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) article was published where I was one of a handful of industry experts extensively quoted. Here is a link to that article, “Diverse Suppliers Can Lead to Diverse Talent” by Rebecca R. Hastings. NOTE: you need to be SHRM member to access the article, one of the benefits of joining SHRM! Ms. Hastings also provides a lot of useful data from an Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and ties the data in nicely to her main points

The main theme of this article is that supplier diversity efforts do have a strong connection to similar efforts to recruit and retain the best employees via the widest possible diverse pool of candidates. Some of the particular points that I made in my interview with Ms. Hastings which were included in the article included:
• Though the diversity procurement function may reside in an organization’s procurement function or human resources function, the two areas must team closely together in these efforts.
• Companies should promote their diversity procurement efforts to be able to get the best suppliers from the widest possible pool.
• Federal and state government efforts around supplier diversity have really helped the economic development of minority-owned businesses.
• When employees know that their company is reaching a diverse range of suppliers, that will have a positive impact on their productivity, engagement, and recruitment.

Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer is a certified diverse supplier (LGBT-BE) via the NGLCC

Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer is a certified diverse supplier (LGBT-BE) via the NGLCC

In addition to myself, another LGBT-BE (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Business Enterprise) certified via the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) consultant, Jennifer Brown of Jennifer Brown Consulting, was quoted. We are both participating in the newest growing area of supplier diversity – LGBT owned businesses.

Early next week I will publish part 2 of this series which will include useful links to other recently publish articles around supplier diversity.

The end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Part 1

I was very pleased to see the end of the US Military “Don’t Ask / Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy at the very end of 2010. The Policy basically stated that it was “OK” for those in the military to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender as long as they “did not tell” anyone , i.e. keep it hidden. What this basically amounted to was that GLBT people who wanted to serve in the US military had to keep hidden or lie about this very important aspect of who they are.

President Barack Obama signs the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010, during a ceremony at the Interior Department in Washington.

Studies in the private business sector have shown that when people hide who they are at work, it negatively impacts their productivity. People need to keep track of who they have and have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity to, thereby distancing themselves from coworkers and team members. They worry more about if they may lose their job or be passed over for a promotion because of who they are, and that negatively impacts their productivity. But people who can openly bring their full selves into a supportive work place can optimize productivity and devote all their energy to their work. The “Degrees of Equality” report from the Human Rights Campaign provides the details of this analysis.

Hundreds of thousands of people participated in the 2009 March on Washington advocating for equality for LGBT people. Many spoke on the need to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Now better days are ahead for the US Military! The ending of the “Don’t Ask / Don’t Tell” policy means that the military can truly recruit the best and brightest talent, including those who may be gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. Studies have shown how many bright and talented people serving our country in key roles like linguistic intelligence have been dismissed simply because they came out as being GLBT. Data from the SLDN (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network) shows that thousands of talented service people have been dismissed from our military, robbing our country’s defense system of key personnel.

In my next blog entry I will write about what may be needed by the military in 2011, and the lessons they can learn from the business world.