Diversity in Supplier Procurement at SGS
SGS supports agility, innovation and sustainable development through supplier diversity.
We live in a diverse world and ensuring diversity in our supply chain helps us to be more innovative and agile. A diverse supplier network brings different backgrounds, ideas and experiences to the table, allowing us to combine multiple perspectives, which encourages innovation.
By encouraging partnerships with smaller business within a diverse community of suppliers, we can be more agile and better equipped to focus on solutions. Providing new opportunities for small firms also creates a positive impact on society as a whole. Such firms are responsible for most jobs and provide significant contributions to the GDP and local tax bases, funneling a larger percentage of profits into local communities and families than might be provided by larger corporations.
Listen to Farhan Randhawa, SGS North America Director, Procurement, explain why supplier diversity is more important now than ever before in the Sourcing Solved: Procurement in 5 Minutes podcast.
Vania Grandi, Natural Resources, Global Head Sustainability Solutions, SGS
“By establishing diversity in our supply chain, we embed sustainability throughout our value chain and support the push to a more diverse and greener future.”
Procurement at SGS
Our Supplier Diversity Program
Our Supplier Diversity program reflects our corporate values. It enables us to attract and maintain talent, while adding bottom line business value to our supply chain. Through it, we demonstrate our commitment to diversity and inclusion to our partners, customers, employees and other stakeholders.
We will be collecting data about our suppliers, how they have been identified and the progress we are making in forging relationships with them. We will also be monitoring the growth of procurement spend on diverse suppliers so we can better plan for the future.
Our Procurement Mission Statement
We aim to maximize value, innovate and drive efficiency and support profitable growth in a sustainable way. We deliver these goals through business partnering, a supply chain operating model that enables cost effective sourcing, passionate high performing teams and management of supplier partnerships.
Our procurement philosophy is contingent on the following four pillars, to which we adhere:
- Cost and cash flow leadership
- Global sourcing solutions
- Contribution to inspections and laboratories of the future
- Sustainable procurement and supply chains
Mahmood Shah, VP Procurement, SGS
“I am confident the program will become one of the many ways in which we show how we create Value to Society, contributing to the local economy and SGS’s overall success.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a diverse supplier?
A diverse supplier is defined as a held company in either Canada or the United States that is 51% owned and operated by a woman, minority, veteran, disabled veteran, person with a disability, an indigenous person or a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) community. By valuing the diversity that comes with differences in gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, and religious identity in our business dealings, SGS shows that that we value all members of society and what they can offer.
Does registering for inclusion as a supplier guarantee selection through the RFP process?
Although registering for inclusion in the SGS Diverse Supplier database does not guarantee selection via the RFP process, it does offer greater visibility for your business and the possibility of being selected to submit an RFP should a project come up that matches your business offering.
How do I register as a diverse supplier in the SGS Diverse Supplier database?
All diverse suppliers should register their companies by visiting SGS SupplierGATEWAY. You are encouraged to supply your diversity certification and to keep it up to date using the same portal. Please note that by registering, you are allowing our internal stakeholders to access your company’s information and acknowledge that this does not guarantee you business or a contract with SGS.
Stephen Nolan, Chief Operating Officer, SGS North America
“We believe in enabling a better, safer and more interconnected world, and as such it is important for us to develop relationships with diverse suppliers that we can partner with, as we seek sustainable benefits for all stakeholders.”