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Supplier diversity An engine for economic justice
Amid the national conversation about the importance of diversity and inclusion, AMITA Health, Ascension’s joint venture in Chicago with AdventHealth, and Medxcel — Ascension’s facilities management and construction management subsidiary — have been taking steps to address economic justice in the community through a focus on supplier diversity.
The initiative, led by The Resource Group, promotes an inclusive approach to procurement by ensuring that companies owned by individuals from underrepresented groups have an equitable chance to compete for opportunities.
The work, a representation of the ABIDE hallmark of inclusivity, helps level a playing field where larger suppliers often have a competitive advantage based on resources and brand recognition. To ensure inclusion, companies must be intentional about reducing the barriers faced by many small and diverse businesses.
The hallmarks of the Ascension ABIDE framework — Appreciation, Belongingness, Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity — are demonstrations of Ascension’s historic Mission, Values, and commitment to social justice, compassionate action and advocacy for all, especially the most vulnerable.
As a show of its commitment, AMITA Health has pledged 8% of its annual contracted spending toward vendor services with diverse businesses. That translates to a $38 million promise to do business with firms owned by women, veterans, ethnic and racial minorities, and other groups.
“Our hospitals have an economic impact on our communities. It’s important that we work with businesses that reflect the values and diversity of the communities we serve,” said Pamela Mitchell-Boyd, ABIDE Director and former System Director of Diversity Inclusion and Language Services at AMITA Health.
AMITA Health’s commitment to an inclusive procurement process extends beyond its financial pledge. It also includes: • Training and mentorship opportunities designed to support the growth and sustainability of diverse businesses. • Peer-to-peer and community-based collaborations to leverage best practices and thought leadership.
— PAMELA MITCHELL-BOYD, ABIDE DIRECTOR AND FORMER SYSTEM DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY INCLUSION AND LANGUAGE SERVICES, AMITA HEALTH
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• Standardized metrics, reporting and feedback loops designed to support vendor operations and efficiency.
With the help of The Resource Group, Medxcel is also committed to the diversity spending initiative. The organization is working to ensure that prime suppliers such as general contractors, architects and engineers are including small and diverse businesses as subcontractors in their projects.
“We’ve begun to track the diverse spend of each of our prime contractors and will hold them accountable to ensure that small and diverse suppliers are included in the facilities and construction work that is happening inside our ministries,’’ said Joe Stark, Regional Construction Manager, Medxcel Facilities Management.
The identification of eligible businesses is an important component of supplier diversity. Katrina Scott, Senior Manager for Diversity and Sustainability at The Resource Group, leads efforts to ensure the pipeline of eligible businesses is diverse. She works with organizations such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and others to ensure equal opportunity for all suppliers who want to do business with Ascension and its subsidiaries.
“We make sure those businesses understand how to register in our supplier portal and are considered as part of our ‘RFx Inclusion’ initiative — an effort that ensures all RFI [requests for information] and RFPs [requests for proposals] include at least one small or diverse business, where possible in the bidding process,” she said. “We aim to engage the very best suppliers who share our values and commitment to quality and excellence. By providing opportunity to a diverse slate of suppliers, we foster not only the growth of small businesses and the communities they represent but also the growth of our organization and those we are fortunate to serve.’’
