Ford’s Diversity Program Exceeds Minority-Owned Business Spending Goals

Every year, Ford aims to source at least 10 percent of U.S. purchases from minority, women and veteran-owned businesses. The automaker’s Supplier Diversity Development (SDD) program has won awards in the past for successfully reaching this goal and 2012 was no different.

Last year, the brand exceeded that goal by purchasing $5.7 billion in goods and services from minority-owned suppliers and $1.2 billion in goods and services from women-owned businesses.

Ford’s SDD program works with community organizations, trade associations and business leaders to ensure that it continues to represent the interests of diverse businesses.

“As the landscape of the country and the world changes, Ford recognizes that the contributions of diverse and veteran entrepreneurs are important to the success of its business,” said Carla Preston, Supplier Diversity Development director. “The brand is committed to continuing to strengthen its chain of suppliers through its Supplier Diversity Development program.”

For the second year in a row, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council recognized the efforts Ford has gone through to reach their sourcing goals, as well as develop business practices for today’s marketplace. Ford added special focus to the Women Business Enterprises they used in the last month, including:

• GDC, a business based in Indiana and owned by Loretta Miller that specializes in green technology and recycled tires.
• G-TECH Services, a professional staffing supplier to Ford for the last two decades that under President and CEO Theresa Ghafari has tripled its sales and employee numbers.

“As innovators, these business leaders are creating new sustainable products that help us meet our goal to reduce our environmental footprint while at the same time accelerate development of advanced, fuel-efficient vehicle technologies around the world,” said Preston. “They have made substantial contributions to Ford’s profitable growth. And we expect continued growth with our minority, women and veteran business owners for years to come.”