ASAE’s Marketing Professionals Advisory Council (MPAC) conducted a survey in April 2022 to better understand of how associations are handling diversity, equity and inclusion in their marketing and communications efforts. In our previous article, we looked at how marketing departments addressed DE&I and collected data. In this second article, we’ll focus on DE&I practices related to vendors and accessibility— and why those practices make a difference.
Supplier diversity is not just the responsibility of one department, but all departments. According to our survey, less than 15 percent of marketing departments evaluate how marketing identifies vendors to eliminate bias and ensure diversity and inclusivity—which means we have work to do.
Part of the problem may be lack of awareness in around the benefits of supplier diversity, that diverse suppliers are out there, and that marketers can easily champion diversity when searching for suppliers. According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, the benefits of a supplier diversity program are clear: it helps fight structural racism, benefits our economy and enhances the organization’s overall business.
Please select this link to read the complete article from ASAE’s Center for Association Leadership.