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Supplier Diversity

We are committed to creating opportunities for diverse suppliers running minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses that drive profitability and make their enterprises more sustainable.

Partnering for Diversity

Our nationally recognized Supplier Diversity Development (SDD) Program has led to productive business partnerships with diverse entrepreneurs, and valuable products and services for our customers through its leadership and success in driving innovative best practices.

In 2018, we announced the expansion of our program to include certifications from the National LGBT Chambers of Commerce (NGLCC), US Business Leadership Network (USBLN), the Small Business Administration (SBA) and WEConnect International. This expansion emphasizes our commitment to rebranding our organization as not only diverse but also inclusive. Diversity is inevitable, but inclusion must be something that requires conscious and intentional efforts.

In 2017, Ford purchased goods and services worth:

Promoting a Diverse Supply Chain

For the past 40 years, Ford has recognized that having a diverse supply base is a fundamental part of our overall success. Diversity and inclusion among those who supply our products and services ensure that we are collecting fresh perspectives that, in turn, lead to cutting-edge innovations and accelerated business development. This further supports our dedication to fostering strong and productive relationships with entrepreneurs from a wide range of backgrounds to meet our customers’ needs and expectations.

As well as buying from diverse suppliers, we work with business leaders, community organizations and trade associations that represent the interests of diverse businesses. We are members of the Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR), a group of 27 corporate members across 10 industry sectors that each purchase at least $1 billion of goods annually from diverse suppliers. The BDR promotes and shares best practices in supply chain diversity excellence through the production of white papers. It also encourages corporate entities to continue growing their supplier diversity programs by increasing commitment and spending levels each year.

Demonstrating our commitment, we have extended our leading role in one of the major supplier diversity advocacy organizations from January 2016 to December 2018. Joe Hinrichs, President of the Americas for Ford Motor Company, is currently Chairman of the Board for the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC).

Supplier Development

Our Mentor Me program helps to advance and develop diverse suppliers through selective matching of senior executives from Ford and/or other partner organizations. During the one-day program, mentors assess the diverse business, evaluate real-time organizational challenges/opportunities, discuss future business and provide feedback to enhance leadership and communication in the areas selected by the diverse business. In 2017, we hosted four Mentor Me sessions.

To date, we have sourced more than $110 billion in goods and services through our Supplier Diversity Development (SDD) Program from minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses.

Awards and Recognition

Our SDD Program received external recognition from a wide range of awards, rankings and rating agencies in 2017, confirmation that we continue to “maintain leadership in supplier diversity.”

A number of individual Ford people were also recipients of honors and accolades, as shown below.