University of Dayton Wins National Supplier Diversity Award: University of Dayton, Ohio

The University of Dayton received the Jesse L. Moore Supplier 2022 Diversity Award, a national recognition from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine honoring colleges and universities that take proactive steps to support and engage with minority-owned businesses.

The publication selected the winners for their efforts in recruiting, hiring and retaining suppliers from underrepresented groups through institutional supplier diversity offices, innovative programs and other initiatives. Winners will be included in the April 2022 issue of OVERVIEW of diversity magazine.

“As a Catholic institution of higher learning, provider diversity is intrinsic to our mission to advance the common good,” said Eric F. Spina, president of the University of Dayton. “The University of Dayton has placed a high priority on expanding supplier diversity, identifying it as one of the key elements of the University in our efforts to support equity and inclusion on our campus. and in the community of Greater Dayton. We appreciate this award recognizing this work and our progress, and I am very grateful to Executive Director of Procurement, Sara Harrison, and her team for their leadership and hard work. »

OVERVIEW of diversity The magazine noted UD’s decade of involvement as an “engaged buying organization” with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Minority Business Partnership, an economic development initiative aimed at growing the local economy through greater engagement. strong with minority businesses in the region. For example, approximately 20% of the contractors in the construction of the University’s new 1401 S. Main building and the Roger Glass Center for the Arts currently under construction are minority or women-owned businesses.

In 2018, the University launched the Greater West Dayton Incubator. His work aligns with the University’s vendor goals and promotes support for underrepresented, underfunded, and underserved entrepreneurs in the Greater Dayton startup community.

On campus, the University strengthened its supplier diversity program with the launch of a centralized e-procurement system in 2017 that identified and introduced diverse suppliers. Other internal efforts included developing a purchasing advisory council, educating and training campus units and buyers, and building strong local relationships with higher education vendor diversity teams. .

The COVID-19 pandemic has also created opportunities for the University. UD found new supply chains from new suppliers, Harrison said, with diverse and small suppliers often proving to be the best partners in terms of reliability, cost, speed and agility. While many employees were working remotely at the start of the pandemic, the University held Zoom training and education sessions with employees on the importance of supplier diversity.

“Sourcing from minority-owned, women-owned and local businesses has allowed our diverse vendors to reach and help every person on campus with personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies,” said Harrison said. “Relationships established through outreach events have been leveraged and we have been delighted to form new strategic partnerships with various vendors.”

UD has a five-year goal to spend 20% of its annual purchases with minority and women-owned vendors by fiscal year 2025-26.

This is UD’s third award in less than a year recognizing its work in diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity: issues in higher education highlighted Tiffany Taylor Smith, UD Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, among its 25 Outstanding Women for Women’s History Month. Last fall, UD was among a small group of schools honored nationally by OVERVIEW of diversity with a HEED (Higher Education Excellence in Diversity) award, which recognizes U.S. higher education institutions that demonstrate a notable commitment to campus-wide diversity and inclusion.

“When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, colleges and universities have traditionally invested their resources in recruiting and retaining diverse students and employees – however, there is a third stage of DEI which focuses on supplier diversity,” said Lenore Pearlstein, co-editor of OVERVIEW of diversity. “The OVERVIEW of diversity Jesse L. Moore Supplier Diversity Award, named in honor of longtime advocate and economic development pioneer Jesse L. Moore for his leadership in promoting supplier diversity and the success of minority-owned businesses, is our way to ensure that this critical area of ​​DEI also gets recognized for the important role it plays.

OVERVIEW of diversity magazine is the oldest and largest publication focused on diversity in higher education.

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