What is Supplier Diversity?

Supplier Diversity is a term used to describe how many global corporate organisations in the USA and Europe currently support small to medium community-based and minority owned business enterprises via their procurement processes.

Message Stick is at the forefront of establishing this initiative here in Australia, and actively seeks to recruit the Australian corporate and government sectors in supporting and engaging in the supplier diversity model.

Message Stick believes that this process will enable many minority sme's to develop long term business strategies that will benefit not only the Australian economy, but provide lasting economic sustainability to communities throughout our society.

What is a Minority Owned Business?

A minority-owned business is a for-profit business enterprise, regardless of size, which is physically located in Australia and owned, operated and controlled by minority group members.

"Minority business owners and operators" are Australian citizens who are either Indigenous Australians, women, war veterans and/or other disadvantaged members of our society.

What defines a Minority Owned Business?

Ownership by minority individuals means the business is at least 51% owned by such individuals or, in the case of a publicly-owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. Further, the management and daily operations are controlled by those minority group members.

Examples of Successful Supplier Diversity Programs?

Message Stick Communications is a prime example of how this model works here in Australia.

Currently, two (2) of Australia's largest corporates engage with us in the supplier diversity space, enabling Message Stick to do business through their procurement processes.

The Supplier Diversity model has been operating successfully in the USA since 1972.

The attached pdf document outlines the 'Purchasing Activities' in the US since 1972 to 2004, a clear indication of the economic benefits that can be achieved by Corporate entities engaging with minority owned businesses via the procurement path.

USA Purchasing Activity: 1972 - 2004

Also, for further information, please feel free to visit the USA National Minority Supplier Development Council website at: http://www.nmsdcus.org