Читать книгу Supplier Diversity For Dummies - Kathey K. Porter - Страница 64

I started this project when the world was facing some of the most unparalleled and disruptive events in history — the COVID-19 pandemic and the social unrest sparked by the murder of George Floyd. The world as we knew it came to a halt, with businesses and schools closing and operations shifting to a virtual environment. Groups used this time not only to protest for social reforms but also to demand access to increased economic opportunities.

The death toll from the global pandemic was devastating with the effects still being felt. From an economic perspective, some businesses were able to adapt to this shift to virtual, work-from-home orders, or limited staff. Many, particularly small and diverse businesses, were not and were among the hardest hit. According to CBS News: “There were more than 1 million black-owned businesses in the U.S. at the beginning of February 2020, according to research from the University of California at Santa Cruz, which drew from census survey estimates. By mid-April, 440,000 black business owners had shuttered their company for good — a 41 percent plunge. By comparison, 17 percent of white-owned businesses closed during the same period, the UC Santa Cruz research shows.”

This was a tipping point, where organizations began looking internally at how they could step up and support, putting supplier diversity squarely in the middle. With supplier diversity professionals, there was a renewed sense of urgency to create creative solutions that would have a lasting impact. Global organizations announced financial commitments, pledged resources, and opened their doors to diverse businesses like never before. The year 2021 was definitely a defining moment in supplier diversity work to get small and diverse businesses back to work.