The second biggest challenge facing Supplier Diversity today here in the UK, EMEA and ASIAPAC is the need for the diverse identity of business owners to be certified.
A Diverse Supplier is a business at least 51% owned by a diverse identity.
Visit Kaleida for the full list of diverse identities.
The need for certification stems from the USA where legislation requires Buying firms who work with Diverse Suppliers to report on their spend.
Increasingly in EMEA too, in order for diverse spend to be approved, there is an appetite for the diverse identity of business ownership to be verified.
In Supplier Diversity there are two types of certification:
📜 Self-certified diverse supplier.
📜 Officially accredited diverse supplier.
✅ Pros
Protects against greenwashing of Supplier Diversity
Ensures access to opportunities goes to those who need it.
⛔️ Cons
Can be expensive to get certified.
Can take time to get certified.
Can adversely affect those with cross-intersectionality identities.
To aid and support these growing requirements, we have a huge announcement coming imminently.
Diverse Suppliers, we got you ❤️
But what are your thoughts on the need for diverse identities to be certified in order for big corporates to work with diverse suppliers?
How can you truly confirm someone is 51% owned and controlled by a qualified underrepresented group, without a certification process? Self-Classification is not the answer. How will you be sure that they are who they say they are? My global organization does not accept self-classification, they have to be 3rd party certified (application, certification committee review and site visit)