Page 17 - BEQ Magazine Vol 4, Iss 4 (01032020 Final)_Active

RETHINKING ACCOUNTABILITY
As we spoke, it became clear that Oswold views supplier diversity as a
vital part of UPS’s growth and success and that means holding her team
to the same high standards as any other part of the enterprise. This should
not be a disruptive idea, and yet how many corporations approach suppli-
er diversity with the same level of accountability they hold other business
functions to? What would happen if the consequences of not meeting di-
versity goals equaled the praise when those goals are achieved?

BEQ PRIDE: If you could change one thing
about how corporations manage their supplier
diversity programs, what would it be? More
resources?
RETHINKING SUPPLIER ENGAGEMENT
OSWOLD: Accountability needs to increase. Throughout We speak with supplier diversity professionals from across the country and in every
corporations, more people need to understand the industry in the course of our work producing this magazine, and one theme we hear
value of supplier diversity. More people need to be held frequently is how challenging it can be to find qualified diverse suppliers for specific
accountable for the results and have better visibility into needs. Oswold’s suggestion is to, again, broaden the conversation by shifting this task
their spend and impact. We have to treat supply diversity from the supplier diversity team to the people who have the most insight and biggest
like any other organizational corporate function. It must networks across the enterprise and beyond – strategic sourcing, procurement, sales,
be aligned to the corporate strategy, go through rigorous employee affinity groups, technical leaders, product/service leaders, R&D, human
business planning and goal setting, and experience the resources (leadership development) and even current diverse suppliers.
same standards we would hold any other function to.
I think, historically, I can see that it can be easy for some
organizations to see this as something you do for good but if BEQ PRIDE: What is your commitment to finding and engaging diverse
you don’t quite reach your goal, do you react with the same suppliers that may not be certified yet? Obviously, you can’t find them
level of intensity as if you didn’t hit your revenue goals? If through NMSDC or WBENC or NGLCC if they’re not certified, so how do
the answer is no, you have to ask why. If supplier diversity you do that?
doesn’t meet its goal and nobody is upset, where will the
momentum for change come from?
OSWOLD: Absolutely we’re committed to to say to those folks, when you go to your
finding suppliers. There are lots of ways conferences, when you go to an automotive
to do it but the important thing is it can’t conference, what are we doing there to find
just be the supplier diversity team. In some the right suppliers that may not be show-
companies, that’s a single person or a very ing up in NMSDC or NGLCC? So, I think
small team. So if that’s all you have going leveraging those networks will help us find
out looking for suppliers, you’re really them.
going to limit your success because it’s Sometimes we’re finding diverse sup-
unlikely that they’re experts in every field pliers through other suppliers. We have a
your procurement team buys in any way. relatively new transportation supplier who
So to me, it’s really starting from the had come to us and said ‘I want to help you
sourcing professionals, the category owners find more diverse transportation suppliers.’
in our procurement team. They’re engaged So, he’s out there finding them and bring-
with their industries, right? They’re in the ing them to us so that we can talk to them
automotive industry or they’re in the airline about certification. Sometimes it’s leverag-
industry, they understand the consulting ing suppliers you already have who have
space or staffing space. It would be easy connections beyond the network.

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