Kelly Inc.

Responses by
Brenda Marshall
Senior Director
Global Supplier Diversity 

What does winning this award mean to you and Kelly?
Kelly is honored to receive this recognition because it celebrates our leadership’s vision, the dedication of our team and the commitment to excellence our minority suppliers deliver every day. 

As a talent specialty company, we connect great companies with great people. Kelly’s investment in supplier diversity and inclusion began in 1979 and has evolved to become a key component of our vision, mission and values. It is encouraged at the highest levels of executive management and engrained in our culture as to how we do business. The ability to access a broader pool of minority/diverse suppliers is critical to meeting our clients’ business needs.
But it’s bigger than that … Today, more than ever, we believe there is no better way to spread the word about our core values than by living those same principles in our communities. We remain inspired by realizing that our commitment to supplier diversity and inclusion is an ideology worth sharing, and our support for the local markets we serve is an investment with measurable returns. Inclusion drives innovation and innovation drives growth.

To what do you attribute the success of Kelly’s supplier diversity program?
Commitment and Teamwork. At Kelly, we believe that supplier diversity is a teaming initiative and to be successful, it must be owned by the organization — beyond the diversity team — and integrated into our practices as we do business. Our forward-thinking strategy and longstanding commitment to the emerging business community delivers innovative solutions. 

Key initiatives that drive our success:
The formation of the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Council [or DIEC,] is the driving force behind maintaining and expanding our supplier diversity development success. DIEC was formed in 2003 and consists of executive leaders providing cross-functional representation beyond commitment to engagement. It is responsible for establishing policies and designing solutions to ensure diverse participation in our operating plan.

The Kelly Supplier Diversity Development [or KSDD] is more than a supplier initiative. Development is the cornerstone of our process and the ability to look beyond spending to supplier engagement, focusing on high-touch, outcome-based engagements that deliver better [return on investment]. We ensure diverse suppliers have the tools and resources needed to scale and reach their maximum potential. Creating viable, sustainable business partners in this important aspect of our talent supply chain strategy is a valuable asset.

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