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October 16, 2024

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Nissan is dedicated to DEI

By Georgeann Ikuma

Across the U.S., Canada and South America, Nissan’s Corporate Diversity Initiative aims to improve business results by ensuring that its core businesses meet the distinct needs of an increasingly inclusive customer base and labor market. Nissan supports its global vision of “Enriching People’s Lives” by constantly striving to improve the quality of life in the communities where it operates.

Part of Nissan’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) group includes the Nissan Foundation, whose mission is to build community by valuing cultural diversity. Created in 1992 as a compassionate response to the civil unrest following the Rodney King trial verdict, the Nissan Foundation awards grants each summer to organizations promoting understanding, respect and appreciation among cultural and ethnic groups.

Committed to supplier diversity

During the 1980s, Nissan began working with the Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council, now called Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) under the leadership of Marvin T. Runyon, former president of Nissan U.S. In 2016, the company re-engineered the supplier diversity program, focusing on making it easier for diverse suppliers to work with Nissan and building the supply chain. Driving this reinvigorated supplier diversity focus is the recognition that as consumer demographics change, companies must reflect those changes to remain relevant.

Additionally, Nissan recognized that inclusion of diverse suppliers can bring innovative ideas to the table and critical components to assist with staying competitive in the automotive industry.

To learn more about Nissan’s supplier diversity program, visitnissanusa.com/about/diversity.

Marcella McCullough

DEI senior manager, supplier diversity

Nissan Group of the Americas 

McCullough developed her business acumen through a diverse array of purchasing, product sales and supplier diversity development in the automotive and telecommunications industries. Her career path was marked by positions of increasing responsibility at Nortel, General Motors’ Saturn division, Delphi and Ford before joining Nissan Group of the Americas.

Q: How long have you been involved in supplier diversity?

A: I have had over 25 years working in supplier diversity. I started while at GM’s Saturn division supporting a group called Equal Partners, which was developed to identify qualified, underutilized suppliers to support the organization. However, I first had a supporting role at Nortel along with a buying function. Although I had various purchasing and sales positions, my career journey always brought me back to supplier diversity.

Q: Why is supplier diversity important to Nissan?

A: Nissan is committed to procuring innovative goods and services for a diverse, qualified supply base, which will help us continue to offer our customers competitively designed market-driven products. We want our pool of supplier partners and contractors to reflect the diversity of the consumers who buy our vehicles. Nissan’s commitment to supplier diversity has never been stronger.

Q: What supplier diversity initiatives are most successful for Nissan?

A: In 2023, the supplier diversity team launched a development and mentoring program. The program was created to level up our underutilized suppliers by preparing them for doing business with Nissan, making them more competitive, ensuring they have the capability to support our specifications, meeting our expectations and providing suppliers with tools that help the suppliers to be top-quality performers. This initiative has been embraced by the suppliers, our internal teams, and Tier I suppliers who are trainers as subject matter experts.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the continued growth of supplier diversity development?

A: Nissan’s long-term strategy emphasizes electrification and sustainability. One of the biggest challenges will be finding suppliers that will meet the new automotive specifications as the industry continues to transform. Suppliers that can align their products with Nissan’s focus on electrification will have new opportunities. By 2030, more than 50% of Nissan’s U.S. sales will be electrified, including hybrid models. The suppliers should consider having joint ventures and partnerships that will allow them to be competitive in the market.

Q: What are a few of the Best Practices you would recommend to fellow supplier diversity professionals?

A: I personally reference the National Minority Supplier Development Council Best Practices. It provides a guideline to those implementing a new supplier diversity program. Also, understand your company’s culture to determine which steps are essential to onboard a program, and be sure to leverage leadership for promoting and supporting the program to be successful.

Q: What advice would you give to diverse suppliers wanting to do business with Nissan and other automotive companies?

A: Perspective suppliers should understand our business and know it may take time to begin doing business with original equipment manufacturers. Suppliers should ensure their companies are financially stable. They also should evaluate and develop their capabilities, including quality, and lastly, they should focus on technology and innovation to be ready to provide goods and services to the automotive manufacturers. 

Chandra Vasser

Vice president, chief diversity officer

Nissan Group of the Americas

Chandra Vasser is responsible for leading efforts to develop a culture where all employees can be productive, respected and feel safe in their work environments. She drives Nissan’s DEI strategies, while developing partnerships and plans to share the company’s commitment with employees, customers and the community.

Q: Chandra, can you tell us a little about your background?

A: During my 20 years at Nissan, I have held numerous leadership roles. Prior to my current position, I served in multiple finance director roles where I oversaw control activities in marketing and sales, aftersales, sales audit and quality, Nissan Motor Acceptance Company (NMAC), remarketing and purchasing. I also served as director of purchasing, which included oversight of services procurement, administration, and supplier diversity.

Q: How long have you been involved in DEI and supplier diversity?

A: I assumed the role of vice president, chief DEI officer and president of Nissan Foundation three years ago. However, throughout my career at Nissan, I’ve had the privilege of being part of various programs focused on DEI, including Nissan’s Diversity Advisory Council, Corporate Diversity Council, Multicultural Acceleration Team, Diversity Cross-Functional Team and executive sponsor of an employee resource group known as a business synergy team at Nissan. In my current role, I drive Nissan’s DEI strategies and develop partnerships that advance the company’s commitment to diversity among employees, customers and the community. From 2014-2017, Nissan’s supplier diversity function was under my administration in purchasing, and three years ago it was assigned to DEI with alignment to purchasing. In addition, I lead Nissan’s corporate philanthropy that includes two pillars — The Nissan Foundation and Nissan Neighbors, which awards grants to nonprofits focused on education, humanitarian support and environmental initiatives.

Q: How does DEI and procurement/purchasing align with Nissan’s core values?

A: The Nissan Way consists of five core values. One of them is “Respect Others, Respect Society,” which defines how we treat our customers, colleagues and partners, and highlights that we are diverse and inclusive in our workforce and in the way we approach business. Our DEI core values — courage, transparency, equity, vulnerability and inclusivity — align directly with this core value. At Nissan, we leverage DEI to drive our business because we believe that promoting DEI is not only good practice, but also good business. We acknowledge that doing good business means empowering an inclusive workplace, supply chain and marketplace for everyone.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the continued success of DEI and supplier diversity development?

A: One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is changing the narrative around DEI to be more holistic and inclusive. The traditional definition of diversity has led some groups to view DEI as an exclusionary initiative resulting in some losing while others gain. The fear of loss drives resistance to DEI, so it is critical to show the positive impact of DEI on business and demonstrate the many aspects of DEI that drive business growth. Another challenge to DEI is understanding organization readiness for initiatives. DEI leaders must identify how to move an organization’s DEI actions forward at a pace that makes sense for their organization. As we continue our supplier diversity initiatives in a rapidly changing automotive market, we face the challenge of finding underrepresented suppliers to support the automotive transformation while also meeting our capacity requirements and expanding the underutilized suppliers in global regions.

Q: As a chief diversity officer, what advice would you give to other DEI professionals on what might be expected in the next frontier for DEI?

A: I see the DEI movement rapidly evolving from the traditional definition of only women and people of color into something more holistic, focusing on the unique characteristics that make us different. DEI is also becoming more of a business imperative rather than just an internal human resources initiative, so it becomes an aspect of the business that grows and changes organically. In today’s world, DEI initiatives focus on employees and company culture, marketing, communications, product development, suppliers, customers, community impact and so much more. We see this as businesses diversify the organizations they support, the businesses they partner with and the employees they hire.