Is DEI the Missing Link in Your Supply Chain?
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential drivers of a thriving and responsible supply chain. A focus on DEI is a strategic move to help you not only build a resilient supply chain – vital for business success – but also an equitable one, that reflects the demands of your clients and community.
So, for those who are getting this right, what are their priorities? Let’s explore three proactive steps industry leaders are taking to enhance DEI in their supply chain:
Understanding their DEI data: Forward-thinking organisations are digging into their data. With the support of diversity consultants who specialise in DEI metrics, they are leveraging the potential of their data to track and encourage progress within their supply chain by setting an example from the top down.
Engaging and supporting suppliers for inclusive practices: Industry leaders are integrating DEI-related questions into supplier registration portals and ongoing surveys. Many are even making reporting DEI metrics a contractual requirement, fostering a continuous commitment to inclusive practices. My Inclusion Hub offers a tailored, affordable DEI solution to help SMEs and smaller organisations meet these supply chain requirements.
Supply chain inclusion assessments: It’s no small task to obtain comprehensive DEI data from all your suppliers, so some organisations are instead strategically focusing on a subset e.g. their highest-spend suppliers or those with the potential for significant DEI impact. For critical suppliers, however, a detailed DEI assessment should go beyond surface-level attributes to align with industry best practices and benchmarks. Critical suppliers could have a contractual requirement to be DEI accredited and to validate their progress.
With all this in mind, our three key actions for supply chain success are:
Identify your DEI data sources: Evaluate your current supplier diversity data and consider ways to add more DEI-related metrics. Everyone’s will be different, so ensure you define which DEI data specifically is important for your own supply chain goals.
Implement inclusive practice benchmarks for your current suppliers: Update your contracts to make DEI metrics reporting a contractual requirement for suppliers you currently work with, and introduce DEI-related questions to your supplier registration process for any new suppliers.
Identify your key suppliers: Go for the big fish by identifying the organisations in your supply chain that have the most potential for DEI impact.
Contact Alexandre Maria or enquiries@theclearcompany.co.uk for expert support on making your supply chain truly inclusive.