CVS Health is excited to announce that it is now accepting nominations for the Ninth Annual Executive Learning Series Summit.  Twenty diverse suppliers will be selected for the three-day in-person summit, [...]

The PepsiCo Foundation created The Impacto Hispanic Business Accelerator to provide Hispanic food entrepreneurs with meaningful learning and networking opportunities, along with grant capital to fuel their business growth. Accion Opportunity Fund is proud to serve as one of the nonprofit partners hosting the Impacto program.

Bank of America is pleased to officially launch its impact accelerator program named Bank of America Breakthrough Lab with the call for applications for the September 2023 cohort.

In this episode of Logistics with Purpose, Enrique Alvarez and Maureen Woolshlager are joined by Ying McGuire, CEO & President of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), to talk about how her achievement of the American dream is now driving her to help systematically excluded communities of color do the same.

According to Allstate, Loop Capital’s deed with one of the nation’s largest insurers marks the first time a diverse-owned business enterprise has acted as a joint book-runner on a preferred stock issuance.

Applications for PDL’s third Supplier Diversity Matchmaking program of 2023 is officially open! They have partnered with ECRM and RangeMe to connect businesses from individuals or groups that have been historically underrepresented or underserved with the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA.

ATLANTA – A first-of-its-kind supplier development program launched by Fiserv, a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, and Synchrony, a premier consumer financial services company, will help [...]

Today BP Products North America Inc. completed its $1.3 billion acquisition of TravelCenters of America Inc., one of the country’s leading full-service travel center operators, marking a milestone for the US in the growth of bp’s strategic convenience and mobility business and welcoming thousands of additional employees into BP.

NMSDC and BeyGOOD, a public charity foundation founded by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, have partnered to identify 700 Black businesses across seven regions in the U.S. to participate in a series of Black Parade Route Luncheons. During each luncheon a total of $100,000 in grants will be provided to select business owners.

The Container Store will host its inaugural Diverse Supplier Summit & Expo on Monday, June 5. The Diverse Supplier Summit is a key component of its supplier diversity program as [...]

While we all wish we could wave a magic wand and create a business environment full of inclusivity and equal opportunity for minority business enterprises (MBEs), sadly history tells us [...]

In honor of Women's History Month, Natalie King, CEO of Dunamis Clean Energy Partners, was invited to the White House on March 28 to introduce President Biden and open the [...]

Applications for the fall cohort of Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women: Black in Business program are now open. This free business education program is dedicated to reaching Black women entrepreneurs with the tools necessary to turn their business potential into business growth.

KRCG 13, a Kansas City CBS affiliate, recently featured a member of NMSDC’s Black Farmers Equity Initiative program on its nightly news program, Live at Ten. A participant of the [...]

SDI Presence LLC (SDI), the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Corporate Plus-certified IT consultancy and managed services provider (MSP), announced that Hardik Bhatt has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Formerly the firm’s President and Chief Growth Officer, Bhatt succeeds the firm’s co-founder David A. Gupta, who will assume the newly created role of Executive Chairman.

NMSDC-certified minority business enterprise (MBE), Stewart Law Group and founder, Amy Stewart were recently featured in The Texas Lawbook as part of a series highlighting women- and minority-owned law firms. [...]

Apple is currently accepting applications for its 2023 Impact Accelerator, a program for Black-, Hispanic / Latinx-, and Indigenous-owned businesses developing next-generation innovations in clean energy and green technologies.

The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and Industry Workforce Solutions have partnered once again to launch the second cohort of the CyberReadyMBE program.

Maumee, OH – CMS Corporation’s design-build Program Executive Office Building Six project at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) has received top honors from the 2022 Air Force Design Awards for [...]

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) activities are essential to fostering a culture that values and supports all employees. This article includes steps for implementing D&I initiatives and fostering an inclusive workplace.

Neighborhood-level data could help cities across the United States strategically craft interventions to effect real change for Black and Hispanic residents.

Mike Rollen, a member of the first cohort of NMSDC’s Black Farmers Equity Initiative was recently featured in a story on Kansas City NBC affiliate, KSHB 41.

NMSDC is excited to invite you to the NMSDC Sales Performance School, a series of four webinars featuring expert speakers who will share practical strategies and insights that you can immediately apply to your sales practice.

This report highlights some of the most pressing post-pandemic issues facing American businesses during a period of economic uncertainty. We explore the decreasing proportion of businesses seeking funding and financing across the most popular sources of funding, including national bank loans.

I invested in a boutique hotel in downtown Austin, Texas that opened for business in the early months of 2020. Unfortunately, two weeks after it opened, the Covid-19 pandemic came to the United States, shutting everything down. Given the circumstances, I could have gotten discouraged and given up on this venture.

As part of its Commercial Affinity Banking program, Fulton Bank has invested $1 million in Innovate Capital Growth Fund, L.P., which provides capital and operational expertise to enable minority- and women-owned businesses to grow.

Sam’s Club is announcing an exciting opportunity for diverse-owned emerging brands in the dry grocery, snacks, pantry, and beverage categories to meet with Sam’s Club merchants.

Supplier.io released the 2023 Supplier Diversity Benchmarking Report — its analysis of over $1.4 trillion in actual supplier spend across 466 companies and more than 15 industries.

“As the ninth black-owned company to go public in the U.S., we are thrilled to be recognized by Nasdaq and thankful for the opportunity to ring the closing bell. To us, this ceremony will commemorate a year of tremendous growth and success since we first went public in February of 2022.”

NMSDC corporate member, FedEx is giving small businesses an opportunity to take their business further with a chance to win one of ten $30,000 grants in the annual FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. Winners will also receive a $1,000 credit for FedEx Office print services.

Cheri Jzar, a member of the first cohort of NMSDC’s Black Farmers Equity Initiative was recently featured in a story on WCCB Charlotte’s News Rising.

lululemon is proud to announce that today it launched its IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action) Supplier Inclusion and Diversity Program. The program will increase diverse supplier products and service solutions within the company’s global indirect, non-merchandise spend, helping to empower economically and socially disadvantaged organizations by fostering business growth and job and wealth creation across diverse communities.

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is seeking a consultant to develop two best practice Inclusive Contracting Toolkits.

GE Appliances, a Haier company, (GEA) announced today the introduction of its GEA Launchpad program, which is designed to grow and develop the capacity of diverse-owned suppliers needed for its operations.

For the second year in a row, Peapod Digital Labs (PDL) is seeking certified, diverse-owned businesses nationwide for participation in a virtual program aimed at showcasing products from underrepresented suppliers to the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is seeking a cloud platform that will serve as the central data management, use case scheduler, and general “control center” for its upcoming vehicle-grid integration (VGI) pilots.

I took the SEAL Course and found it to be very helpful as we frame our next strategic planning meeting. In essence, the course presents how a high degree of organizational agility can help a company react successfully to the emergence of new competitors, the development of new industry-changing technologies, or sudden shifts in overall market conditions.

A report released by ACORE and BW Research Partnership identifies existing MWBEs within the utility-scale wind, solar, and battery storage manufacturing supply chains; assesses existing supplier selection practices; and highlights opportunities to foster the growth of MWBEs and improve sector diversity.

As the business world continues to evolve, organizations and entrepreneurs are finding ways to remain competitive for sustained growth in the market. Establishing a competitive edge is key to meeting business objectives.

The brand’s visual identity expresses its values, personality, and its objectives. It includes the name, logo, fonts, colors, and imagery. These elements belong in your “brand orchestra” and if they are not present, your brand may be out of harmony.

The Lenovo Evolve Small initiative recently announced a partnership with none other than Queen Latifah, the newly crowned Queen of Small. Together, Lenovo and Queen Latifah are providing aid and mentorship opportunities to minority and woman-owned small businesses across North America.

Macy’s, Inc. champions diverse entrepreneurs and, through strategic partnerships, provides access to up to $200 million in funding and a holistic retail ecosystem

Supplier.io recently released its fifth State of Supplier Diversity Report. This report is the continuation of an initiative that extends back to 2017 and reflects the growth and maturity of supplier diversity programs as well as the impact of overarching trends in the economy, geopolitics, and society.

Employees typically want to excel in their careers and be recognized for their contribution to the organization. NMSDC Career Plans and Employee ExpectationsThis involves better compensation, a higher position, and more responsibilities. Therefore, communicating clear expectations regarding an employee’s professional development and career growth opportunities right from the beginning is vital to retain top talent.

Metasys Technologies (Metasys), a leading minority-certified provider of workforce management services, recently announced a strategic investment from Arkview Capital, a minority-owned private equity fund focused on supporting diversity-oriented businesses.

In our current fast-moving business environment, brands are constantly looking for effective ways to market themselves to remain competitive. Your product offering is outstanding, your marketing strategy is great and yet you still feel like there is still an opportunity to offer more value to your customer base.

An elevator pitch, elevator speech, or elevator statement is a short description of an idea, product, or company that explains the concept in a way that any listener can understand it in a short period of time.

U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today lauded the unanimous Senate passage of six bills to improve the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and invest in small businesses.

New investments and strategic alliances support the economic and resiliency benefits of solar and storage across the nation teams up with McKinsey & Company, National Association of Women Business Owners, Grid Alternatives and Solar Energy International to help attract, retain, and train women for careers in solar

Priscella Muñoz-Prior, owner of CelBlox LLC was featured on the Nasdaq building in Times Square in New York City upon her graduation from the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s Summer 2022 Milestone Makers.

Small businesses need opportunities in larger sectors, and those supply chains need the diversity smaller companies bring. Minority-owned small businesses have additional challenges getting into the pipeline, yet they are perhaps the group that needs to be there the most.

The State of Oregon and City of Portland recently expressed a commitment to expand contracting opportunities for certified minority owned and operated small businesses. To promote economic growth and equity, the city seeks to maximize the participation of minority suppliers.

Sixteen Black-, Hispanic/Latinx-, and Indigenous-owned green technology and clean energy businesses are joining Apple’s second Impact Accelerator, part of the company’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.

Cybersecurity is such an important topic that even a company whose business is information technology needs help safeguarding their business. Not only do they need protection from hackers, but for the best profitability, they need a system considered safe enough for dealings with the federal government.

“I am so happy to join leaders from Summit Packaging today to cut the ribbon on the company’s new operation in Northern Kentucky,” Gov. Beshear said. “This project is creating a variety of quality jobs and capitalizes on the commonwealth’s strong infrastructure and logistical capabilities. I am excited to welcome the company to Kentucky and see it grow for decades to come.”

DFWMSDC members and founders of the Native American Business Association (NABA) have been awarded a grant from the U.S. State Department to host a delegation of Indigenous business leaders from Australia with an 18-day, four-city tour of the U.S. this Oct./Nov. that includes attendance at the NMSDC 50th Anniversary Annual Conference & Exchange in New Orleans.

I was looking for a sales course that would help me better understand best practices in virtual selling. I found that course on the NMSDC Learning Center. I signed my team up for the new Learning Center and have personally taken four courses already. The Learning Center is a game changer! I highly recommend it.

The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) congratulates Corporate Plus member, VDart for receiving the Toyota Diverse IT Supplier of the Year Award for the second year in a row. The [...]

The latest McKinsey report offers a perspective on ways to close the gap. Expand diversity among your suppliers—and add value to your organization, discusses the current state of corporate programs, the economic and social impact of supplier diversity programs, and actions companies and minority-owned businesses can take to fuel growth going forward.

The National Minority Supplier Development Council is thrilled regarding the news of Don Cravins’ nomination to fill the newly established position of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development (MBDA) at the Department of Commerce.

May 1st through May 7th marks the dates for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to promote National Small Business Week. This year’s theme is “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship”, and as part of the commemoration, the SBA has put together a virtual summit that will provide small businesses across the country with resources to help them start, grow, or recover their business.

Cushman & Wakefield discusses the impact of diverse dollars on the growth of their business, their commitment to the diverse communities we serve, their new Cushman & Wakefield Supplier Registration Portal and the value of diverse suppliers in their supply chain.

In 2021, the Rose International Team formalized its commitment to advance racial equity across the U.S. and launched RISE – Rose Impacting Social Equality. Rose International made a $2 million commitment to help initiate change nationwide.

Corporate brands are long overdue in paying attention to Black-owned media companies. Nielsen — a data and market measurement firm — is finally revealing why.

The company recently announced the launch of their Diverse Media Equity Program, which seeks to better survey diverse content historically excluded from media measurement, fund certification fees for diverse owned media and launch the first report on diverse media reach and audience profiles in its history.

Minority and women-owned businesses risk being sidelined in federal contracts, awarded to implement the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that Congress passed last year, unless deliberate action is taken to ensure they have equal access to succeed in the bidding process, members of Congress and minority business leaders said Thursday.

In this excerpt from his forthcoming book, Anti-Racist Leadership: How to Transform Culture in a Race-Conscious World,former Jamba Juice CEO James D. White—along with Krista White, who has joined him in his work—shares approaches on how diversity and inclusion can strengthen your supply chain.

If you’re a small business owner who belongs to an underrepresented group, you may be eligible for certain business certifications that can help you access more government contracts and private-sector opportunities.

The Home Depot is committed to building inclusive and sustainable business opportunities for women, minority, veteran, disability and LGBTQ owned companies. Our Supplier Diversity program was established in 2003, with the goal of increasing shareholder value, driving innovation and creating positive economic impact in the communities we serve.

Sam’s Club is searching for suppliers to bring more quality products to its warehouse club locations. The retailer is holding an open call for both private-brand and diverse suppliers.

As part of the summit, there will also be an opportunity to build relationships that support the retailer’s private-brand Member’s Mark packaging.

It’s important that every aspect of our business, including our supply chain, reflect the changing demographics of the communities where we work and live.

For Immediate Release November 9, 2021 Contact: Fabion Seaton (202) 880-4217 Cardin Lauds Final Passage of Legislation to Expand & Make Permanent Minority Business Development Agency  Measure Included in the [...]

Access to markets is critical to all businesses. Having customers who spend billions on goods and services, such as government agencies or the Fortune 1000, increases your chances for high growth.

Certification can open access to government contracts and other types of support

TIME reveals the first-ever TIME100 Most Influential Companies that highlights 100 companies making an extraordinary impact around the world. World Wide Technology, the largest Black-owned corporation in the United States, is in the “Leaders” section on the TIME100 list.

Small business startup loans for minorities can be a critical funding source to help entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities start a new business or grow an existing business.

“Equity” and “equality” may sound very similar to some. However, there is a clear distinction between the two — one that Maria Prince, Vice President of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), detailed in a recent interview.

As part of its racial equity efforts, Target Corp. is pledging to sell products from more than 500 Black-owned brands by the end of 2025.

If you’re a small business owner struggling to keep your company afloat, here are a few tips, from my team to yours, to help your company emerge from the pandemic stronger and more agile than ever.

Kala Gibson, chief enterprise corporate social responsibility officer and head of Business Banking at Fifth Third Bank has joined the National Urban League’s Board of Directors.

Integrating a lean philosophy into operations and standards seems to be a natural fit for NMSDC’s MBE community, which is using lean practices to be more innovative and responsive to customers.

Adrienne Trimble knows the future is all about minority-owned businesses. The former general manager for diversity and inclusion at Toyota Motor North America sat down for a conversation about diversity in business.

by: Mike Barber Chief Diversity Officer at GE Today, we honor the legacy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The past year has highlighted all too well that […]

Apple today announced a set of major new projects as part of its $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) to help dismantle systemic barriers to opportunity and combat injustices faced by communities of color.

Neta Scientific, a leading distributor of laboratory supplies, solutions, and safety products to the Life Science and Pharmaceutical industries, was awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2020 Regional Subcontractor of the Year Award for Region II.

There are 8 million minority-owned firms in the United States, a 38 percent increase since 2007. Yet those firms face a number of systemic challenges that often keep contracts out of reach.

The unfortunate reality is that far too many Black-owned businesses entered this crisis undercapitalized and under-resourced. Through our own research, we know that businesses in predominantly Black and Latinx communities have significantly lower cash liquidity than businesses in predominantly white communities.

Papa John’s International didn’t have a supplier diversity program before Natonya Harbison joined the team in December 2018. The new director of diversity, equity and inclusion was starting from scratch.

The staffing company’s financial support and mentoring initiative aims to help 100 new and small businesses generating less than $1 million in annual revenues to become certified Minority Business Enterprises.

The Coca-Cola Company’s longstanding commitment to supplier diversity has never been more important, as minority-owned businesses – particularly Black-owned enterprises – continue to bear the 2020 economic brunt of both the coronavirus pandemic and systemic racial injustice.

The 21st Annual Rainbow PUSH/CEF Global Automotive Summit, with the theme “Moving The Economic Needle Towards Equality,” is virtual this year. The challenging circumstances we’ve all faced in 2020 has forced us to alter our approach, while also maintaining our focus on the continuing fight for African American parity in the automotive industry.

Ed Ryland, CCIM, MCR, is the President & CEO, of ARVO Realty Advisors. He is also the author of a book named “The Secrets to Building a Successful Minority-Owned Company”.

As part of Delta Air Lines diversity efforts, the company’s Vice President of Global Cleanliness announced the carrier is seeking minority-owned businesses to support the development of a world-class cleanliness […]

It’s no overstatement that Black-owned U.S. businesses are in a state of crisis due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. From February to April of this year alone, 440,000 Black-owned businesses closed their doors permanently, with thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in worker income lost.

Enjoy these takeaways from the Fireside Chat on Supplier Diversity in the Retail Industry – with Daymond John (Keynote Speaker), Dollar General, and True Value!

Employers around the country have varying definitions of what it means to be a diverse company. For the restaurant chain Denny’s, it includes a special focus on supplier diversity.

A handful of socially conscious major companies have long played a role in addressing racial injustice through supplier diversity programs that promote an inclusive approach to procurement.

While 7% of White business owners get a loan in their first year of business, only 1% of Black business owners do so. There are, however, resources available for Black-owned businesses. Here are seven that can help, especially amid the pandemic.

For some Black-owned business owners in the Philadelphia, the BLM movement has helped their companies, and created new opportunities.

There are many grants available for minority-owned businesses. Find out how you can take advantage of these grant programs to start or grow your business.

The world’s economy has entered uncharted waters. Many small businesses are imperiled by diminished sales and the drying up of government and bank programs. At this moment it’s critical that public institutions and private enterprise step up to help struggling small businesses who still need funding.

New Bill Would Broaden Reach of Minority Business Development Agency & Make It Permanent.

Company’s multi-year commitment focuses on minority-owned small businesses, economic development, and education In addition, Vistra is engaging employees to talk about race in the workplace to further its diversity and […]

The Goldman Sachs Foundation today announced that it is making its world-class 10,000 Women online business education course available to more women around the world, free of charge.

The unfolding public-health and possible economic disaster of the pandemic will disproportionately affect black Americans—unless stakeholders respond immediately.

Here’s a call to all investors, PPE suppliers and entrepreneurs/importers – Kyyba Innovations will be aggregating all medical supplies from other countries faster and in a more effective way. These supplies will then be delivered structurally to all hospital systems in Michigan and any place in the US where there is a shortage.

The President took bold, decisive action to make our 30 million small businesses more resilient to Coronavirus-related economic disruptions. Small businesses are vital economic engines in every community and state, and they have helped make our economy the strongest in the world.

“The women we honor in the 22nd year of our 25 Influential Black Women in Business awards span occupations, industries and expertise, and share the same traits when it comes to their career and community service: passion, drive and focus. “

Staying afloat is difficult for any business. For minority-owned businesses there are the added challenges: systemic disadvantages when it comes to access to resources such as small business loans, and almost-daily (if not daily) prejudice.