What Is Diverse?

I was in turns amused and horrified by recent news out of the Chicago mayoral campaign. “I think that the word ‘minority,’ from our standpoint, should mean African-American,” Meeks said. Meeks continued “…That’s why our numbers cannot improve, because we use women, Asians and Hispanics, who are not people of color, who are not people who have been discriminated against.” Then there’s the: “I have friends, plenty of white gals, who are doing very well,” Davis said. “White women don’t need affirmative action.”

So the amusement was short-lived and based in gender stereotyping … just like a man to dismiss women. Horrified lasted longer. We’re all diverse, obviously. You are unlikely to be exactly like anyone else, unless you have an identical twin – and even that is questionable, given we each have unique experiences.  Let me take a deep breath.  Okay.

I was gratified that the politician in question later clarified his comments “… [he] strongly believes all minority and women-owned businesses deserve their fair share of city contract opportunities.”

The procurement process termed supplier diversity isn’t really about minorities per se. In fact, back on August 16th, 2010, we wrote a Short History of Supplier Diversity. Yes, Supplier Diversity is rooted in the original 1960s civil rights movement, which addressed affirmative action issues for African Americans (aka black Americans) in education and employment opportunities. But, then like all else in the world around us, it changed. In time, Supplier Diversity came to be about increasing the variety of opportunities for “qualified members of diverse ethnicity, veteran, women or disabled groups”. Note my emphasis on qualified! That’s what certification programs are all about – verification and certification that the business is owned and operated by qualified (experienced, capable) members of a defined diverse group.

Affirmative Action and Supplier Diversity have similar but different objectives. Supplier Diversity isn’t just about engaging suppliers based on minority of skin color, ethnicity, origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran experience or physical disability. It really is about making opportunities available – NOT GUARANTEED – to the broadest base of potentially diverse suppliers. By enlarging their base, the government agency or large business not only expands opportunities for these small and diverse businesses, they reap the benefits of new solutions and business opportunities offered by their own out-of-the-box purchasing.