The Missing Business Strategy
Most agree that options, choices, diversity are a good thing. No financial advisor ever suggested a portfolio of a single stock. We all love having 31 flavors to select from at the ice cream counter. So why is it so hard to see that a diverse supply chain is a necessary business strategy? The connection between diversity and profitability has been shown time and again. Research from McKinsey, Deloitte, and Harvard Business Review show that with diversity, companies make more money. Yet, many struggle to build the business case at their companies.
Jamie Crump spent 25+ years in corporate supply chain and supplier diversity. She is a thought leader in both areas and unveils best practices for developing and executing a supplier diversity business strategy in “Backstage Pass: Pulling the Curtain Back on the Business of Supplier Diversity.”
Crump provides a backstage look at the five primary cast members: C-suite, supplier diversity professional, supply chain professional, diverse business owner and end user. She shows what each brings to the table, their challenges, blind spots and best practices. She then delves into how the cast members can best interact to execute a business strategy that will help recruit and retain talent, keep and win customers, and add money to the bottom line.
Her comprehensive six-step model offers a blueprint for success, from how to gain executive support to practical tips on creating new diverse supplier relationships. Crump shows that a supplier diversity business strategy is as basic as sound financials and a good marketing strategy.
Whether your organization is B2B, B2C or a combination, if supplier diversity is a missing business strategy at your company, you are leaving money on the table. Find out how to get it back.
Industry Reviews
This book is a triumph in honesty and transparency in the supplier diversity space. It explores the depths of supplier diversity history and educates you on the new frontier of inclusion. A must-read!
—Daryl Hammett, GM & COO, ConnXus
Jamie has accurately captured the complex and ever-changing world of supplier diversity with Backstage Pass. As a long-time diverse business owner, I can relate to her findings and definitely share her perceptions. Backstage Pass is poignant, funny, educational, and well written. A must-read for all supplier diversity cast members.
—Avis Yates Rivers, CEO, Technology Concepts Group International
Backstage Pass leverages Jamie’s depth of knowledge in supply chain with supplier diversity as her sweet spot and provides a grounded perspective on the cast of characters. The book is sprinkled with nuggets of insights and a-ha moments. Backstage Pass provides a highly engaging view of the topic. A great read!
—Mary Anderson, Founder and Retired President of WBE Canada
An excellent, pragmatic book to help businesses develop a robust supplier diversity strategy. It empathetically incorporates a 360-degree perspective to align the interests of all the stakeholders.
—Arvin Chaudhary, Founder, and President, Nadicent Technologies; Board Member, Greater New England Supplier Development Council
