32 GLOBAL DIVERSITY
Global
Supplier Diversity
Opportunities
Denise Coley, Director of Global Supplier Diversity Business Development at Cisco Systems, knows about the challenges corporations face when expanding their supplier diversity efforts globally. Cisco has identified several such challenges: learning the diversity classifications of each country; understanding each government’ s requirements; focusing on customer requirements in each country; creating and tapping into a global network of suppliers and identifying organisations and contacts within each country.
To tackle the challenges of identifying suppliers abroad, Cisco works with organisations such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council( NMSDC) and Women’ s Business Enterprise National Council( WBENC).
In addition, Cisco is an active supporter of a number of other organisations, such as the Regional Councils of the National Minority Supplier Development Council;
U. S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; U. S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce; Minority Supplier Development UK; WEConnect UK; and, the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council. Many of these organisations have Cisco employees serving on their boards.
Cisco’ s Investment in Diverse Suppliers Every year, Cisco selects several small to mid-sized business owners to participate in the UCLA Management Development for Entrepreneurs Program( MDE). This program offers entrepreneurs a premiere educational opportunity to develop essential skills needed to increase their business’ productivity and profitability in the marketplace. The 10-week management certificate program is committed to helping small businesses succeed, with a particular emphasis on the rapidly-growing groups of women and minority-owned enterprises.
Participants of the program are taught theory and practice in areas such as strategy, marketing, finance, operations and management by award-winning UCLA
Anderson faculty. Participants also receive individual consultation by faculty and selected“ MBA Fellows” to assist them in developing a Business Improvement Plan designed to redefine business goals and make significant changes to their company.
Cisco’ s Commitment to Supplier Diversity“ You have to be an active member of the Supplier Diversity community to be committed to this program, it’ s a great way to network and collaborate” says Denise, who is also a member of the Board of Directors for the following Supplier Development Councils:
1. Northern California Supplier Development Council( NCSDC), Denise Coley, Corporate Member Chair www. ncsdc. org / about. aspx
2. Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council( RMMSDC), www. rmmsdc. org
3. National Minority Supplier Development Council( NMSDC) www. nmsdcus. org / who _ we _ are / mission. html
4. Conference Board – Supplier Diversity Leadership Council www. conference-board. org
uk | engage ISSUE SEVEN 2008