BDR will continue advancing supplier diversity principles despite contentious Supreme Court decision on affirmative action
During
its more than 20-year history, the Billion Dollar Roundtable Inc. (BDR) has
focused on embracing and empowering diverse business enterprises through
corporate supply chain engagement. The BDR does this by sharing best practices
through membership of major U.S. corporations from wide-ranging industries and
providing thought leadership in supplier diversity to address economic
disparities.
The
Supreme Court’s decision to eviscerate long-held principles of affirmative action
in higher education admissions is already resonating adversely throughout
society. While supplier diversity is a voluntary corporate imperative that has
enjoyed remarkable success and enthusiastic participation for more than a half-century, the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action undoubtedly will have
sweeping implications for other categories of business and for marginalized
groups.
As
a collective organization of major corporations, the BDR is as determined as
ever to advance its important work to support diverse businesses and embrace
the notion of fairness and equity in American society. The BDR will continue to
work ardently with like-minded advocacy organizations to ensure supplier
diversity and business inclusion remain at the forefront of our efforts.
Shelley Stewart Jr.
Chairman
Sharon H. Patterson
President,
CEO and co-founder
On behalf of the Billion Dollar Roundtable Inc.
ABOUT THE BILLION DOLLAR
ROUNDTABLE
The Billion Dollar Roundtable Inc., created in 2001, is a nonprofit organization that presently comprises 35 Fortune-level corporations that each voluntarily spend $1 billion or more annually on a Tier I basis with diverse suppliers as a condition of membership. The BDR recognizes and celebrates corporations that achieve this status and promotes and shares best practices in supply-chain diversity excellence. BDR member companies address current issues and devise strategies related to supplier diversity to advance supply chain opportunities for both corporations and diverse suppliers through positive economic impact. The BDR is publisher of the title “Supplier Diversity Best Practices: Building Excellence to Improve the Supply Chain Matrix.”
Learn more about the important work of the BDR, visit https://www.billiondollarroundtable.org/.