488: Procurement for the People | Diversifying Today for an Equitable Tomorrow with Jason Roberts

Diversifying your supplier base is most likely near the top of your organization’s highest priorities this year, but is it enough to really make an impact outside of the four walls of procurement? How are we addressing the challenge of creating equity for diverse business owners, and are we truly taking an inclusive approach to sourcing?

A corporate initiative to increase diverse spend needs depth in purpose from the people and teams working to achieve it. Whether your organization has a dedicated DE&I team leading and supporting company-wide projects, or it’s on you and a small group to implement new processes to hit diverse spend targets, understanding who you are impacting and why it matters is essential for success.

In this week’s episode of Procurement for the People, show host Katherine McCleery explores the challenges of both the buy and sell side of supplier diversity programs with special guest Jason Roberts, CEO and Founder of Kaleida. In addition to sharing some of his personal experiences that shaped and motivated him, Jason takes us on a deep-dive to teach us:

• Why accessibility is the catalyst for increasing equity for diverse business owners
• How diverse businesses can overcome unconscious bias in the sales process
• Three ways to ensure a successful diverse spend initiative: executive buy-in, public communication, and working with a technology partner to identify diverse suppliers
• Why making stereotypical diverse supplier selections actually perpetuates discrimination and how to avoid it in the tender process