supplier diversity
Promoting Sustainability Supporting
Supplier Diversity
by Miana Capuano
A
s organizations are increas- tions should review their processes
ingly called upon to to identify if any barriers exist
demonstrate social and which may prevent such businesses
economic responsibility, supplier from being successful. By doing so
diversity is one area that is slowly and by supporting a diverse suppli-
gaining momentum. The Govern- er base, organizations will be able
ment spends £175 billion each year to more effectively serve their
on goods and services and the case (diverse) customer needs, achieve
for public procurement to be used value for money and benefit from
to develop the economy, especially innovation and competitive costs.
in order to encourage and facilitate
business diversification and Miana Capuano
growth, is evident. Over the past three years, Miana
Supplier diversity is about has worked in partnership with both
ensuring that underrepresented the private and public sector to help
organizations are offered the same enable a more sustainable and ethi-
opportunities to compete for the cal means of working. Miana’s
supply of goods and services as other supply opportunities, a lack of knowl- skills and strengths lie in researching
qualified suppliers. Underrepresented edge about how best to bid for contracts current sustainability issues, presenting
organizations in most supply chains and the time taken to bid for, and the findings in an understandable manner
include small and local businesses, capacity required to deliver, large public and investigating how these findings can
social enterprises, charities and those sector contracts. However, underrepre- be applied to policy-making and sustain-
owned by women, ethnic minorities or sented suppliers also need to ensure that able procurement functions.
disabled people. Research has shown they are being proactive when searching A Graduate of Social Anthropology
that self-employment is a way for those for procurement opportunities. from the University of Manchester,
who may experience discrimination in The Glover Review of small and Miana is also a qualified AA1000
employment, such as the disabled, to medium sized enterprises’ (SMEs) Accountability practitioner. Whilst at
gain greater control and flexibility in access to public procurement opportuni- NQC, she has worked predominantly
their lives. Therefore, ensuring that there ties sought to address these issues and with the public sector, helping them to
is a ‘level playing field’ for them to made a number of recommendations to assess the sustainability of their supply
access procurement opportunities is crit- Government to try and enhance SMEs’ chains. Her public sector experience
ical. participation. These included the devel- spans both central and local government,
The Government has a duty to ensure opment of a single, free, easy to search working with the Home Office as well as
that its procurement practices are fair online portal to search for procurement numerous local authorities such as Leeds
and open to diverse suppliers, and the opportunities, simple tender documenta- City Council. She has played an integral
current Equality duties mean that it is tion to be issued electronically, all previ- role in the development and delivery of
required to build race, gender and dis- ous relevant experience when bidding to the CAESER toolkit and has also assist-
ability equality into its procurement be allowed (not just public sector experi- ed with sustainable procurement work-
processes. However, is enough being ence), and for procurers to take a more shops and exhibitions. She has a broad
done to encourage participation? flexible approach to prequalification or understanding of the Government’s sus-
Research has shown that SMEs and contract award. tainability agenda and her current area of
minority owned businesses face a num- It will be interesting to see what specialty is supplier diversity and the
ber of barriers accessing public, and for becomes of supplier diversity, especially impact that the forthcoming Equality
that matter, large private sector procure- in light of the current economic climate. Bill will have on public sector procure-
ment opportunities. These include diffi- A call for quotas or positive discrimina- ment functions. square6
culties in obtaining information about tion is NOT the answer. Yet, organiza- Source:
DiversityBusiness.com
18
www.blackeoejournal.com The Black E.O.E. Journal
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