2011 Year In Review – Driving the Inclusionary Vision Five Forward Initiative™ A Blue Print for Regional Economic Growth Chicago United’s Five Forward Initiative™ continues to show
Chicago United was awarded a grant from the State of
growth through minority-owned business development. In
through May 31, 2013, to underwrite a study of the economic
significant progress as a blueprint for regional economic
Illinois in the amount of $50,000 for the period of June 1, 2011,
2011, five new major corporations committed to Five Forward
impact of the Five Forward Initiative™. This study will be
(FF) including Aramark, Microsoft, Northstar Lottery, Office
performed in conjunction with the University of Illinois
Max, and University Health Systems Consortium/Novation.
Regional Economics Application Laboratory.
There 27 committed corporations in total and there are 95 minority business enterprise (MBE) firms participating in
Corporations that have committed to the Initiative are
Five Forward.
making sustained investments in their MBE partnerships.
Five Forward Certified MBEs Revenue vs. Annual Goal
$250,000 $200,000
,3 70
$1
27
,4 82
8
$1
00
2,1
29 6,
76 2 7,8 $2 4 8
, 54
$1
72
,1 18 1,4
3
,73 27
,6 37
$1
$150,000
3 74 4,
0
,73
2
$2
Actual
$100,000
Goal
$50,000 0
2009
2010
2011
*The increase in Five Forward certified MBEs annual revenue is due in part to an increase in the number of companies reporting
The chart above illustrates Five Forward certified MBEs
goal set back in 2009 ($170,382,427) which was still early in
Forward committed firms with MBEs exceeded annual goals
achieved an impressive 132% of that goal today. The revenue
revenue versus annual goal. The total annual spend by Five
the downturn, compared to 2011 sales ($224,743,730) we still
for the past three years by 109%, 143%, and 163% respectively.
for Five Forward certified MBEs was $224,743,730 which
In part, the leap in the increase in the percent of spend over
represents an increase of 2% over 2010 annual revenue.
goal is due to modest projections in the face of the recent
economic challenges. However, if we compare the highest
Sales between the same Five Forward committed companies and their selected certified MBEs in 2010 and 2011 4
$250,000
15
$2
,
32 9, 85
2
$2
$200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 0
14
2010
2011
4 55
9,
2 2,1