MBN USA

October 29, 2024

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T-Mobile's merger with Sprint helped it boost support for diverse suppliers

One of the defining moments in T-Mobile’s history was its 2020 merger with competitor Sprint LLC as a wireless network operator and telecommunications company. The union created T-Mobil US Inc. Olga Perelman, T-Mobile’s senior director, enterprise services & social responsibility procurement, told the summit induction audience that the merger also marked a key timeline in the company’s work in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), including supplier diversity. 

She said T-Mobile — based in Bellevue, Washington — started its supplier-diversity program in 2011 but combining with Sprint propelled the program to greater heights. T-Mobile had already been assisting its diverse vendor base with opportunities such as reduced payment terms and spend rose substantially. However, with the merger came new initiatives that provided additional support for diverse suppliers, she said. 

“As a company, we are excited to be inducted into BDR membership,” Perelman said. “Our supplier-diversity program is a key part of our procurement strategy that welcomes innovation, new ideas and perspectives from diverse suppliers.” 

T-Mobile’s supplier-diversity team seeks diverse supplier engagement through business unit categories that include network infrastructure, technology and enterprise procurement and supply chain.

Perelman told the summit induction audience that other company initiatives in DEI work together with the company’s support of supplier diversity. 

One of the programs she described was T-Mobile’s Project 10Million initiative, which offers free wireless services and access to low-cost computer laptops and tablets for underserved students and others. The company launched the program in 2020 and has provided connectivity so far to more than 6 million students in 5,000 U.S. school districts. 

“We are proud of our commitment to diversity,” Perelman said, noting that such programs help children become part of a well-rounded world as they grow up. 

To learn more about T-Mobile’s supplier diversity program, visit t-mobile.com/our-story/working-together/suppliers/supplier-diversity.