Diversidade de Fornecedores atrasada na EuropaO principal objetivo de um programa de Diversidade de Fornecedores é institucionalizar oportunidades para PMEs, pequenas e médias empresas, competirem e conseguirem entrar para as cadeias de abastecimento de Governos e de grandes empresas, especialmente dos sectores de distribuição.
Este processo, conhecido como "diversidade de fornecedores' (Supplier Diversity), é uma forma de compras socialmente responsáveis.
As PMEs são as principais criadoras de emprego em muitos países, e a refletem cada vez mais a diversidade da população. Já em 2012, PMEs criavam 85 % dos novos empregos europeus. E
Expresso | Portugal é o país da Europa que mais aposta nas PME.
A Diversidade de Fornecedores inclui programas de negócios e estratégias de contratação e compras (procurement and purchasing) que incentivam as organizações a usar uma ampla gama de tipos de fornecedores desfavorecidos, começando com as PME e incluindo diversas empresas detidas e geridas por empresários oriundos de grupos sub-representados, como por exemplo, mulheres, minorias étnicas e culturais. Na Europa, a lista de pequenos fornecedores desfavorecidos teria que incluir as pequenas empresas oriundas de pequenos países com pequenos mercados locais, empresas do terceiro setor, empresas sociais e outros tipos de organizações. Os programas de Diversidade geralmente incluem alguns elementos de "descriminação positiva" a favor dos grupos desfavorecidos, ou alguma "reserva de mercado" para assegurar que possam crescer e aparecer.
A Diversidade de Fornecedores torna-se cada vez mais importante para as grandes entidades compradoras, à medida que estas estão sendo questionadas pelos seus clientes finais sobre a proveniência dos produtos que comercializam.
Ao puxar pelos pequenos fornecedores bons mas desfavorecidos, a Diversidade de Fornecedores pode contribuir tanto para a actividade económica como para a integração e a inclusão social. Numa Europa de 2016, em grande risco de fragmentação, isso poderia beneficiar-nos a todos.
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Women and Supplier Diversity http://soroptimistapt.blogspot.pt/2014/10/mulheres-empreendedoras-procuram-se.html
Supplier Diversity Handbook http://www.bitcni.org.uk/resource/planet-handbook-on-supplier-diversity-in-europe-supplier-diversity-europe/
TTIP US-Europe trade and supplier diversity http://ppplusofonia.blogspot.pt/2014/11/ged-ttip-and-supplier-diversity-in.html
Supplier Diversity: Is Europe moving fast enough or hardly at all?
Alis Hemmingsen
06-Feb-14
The face of Europe is changing. People are living longer, not only changing the age demographic, but also yielding an increase in the numbers of people with disabilities. Patterns of settlement among ethnic minority immigrant populations are growing and also changing, reflecting in part the nature of the global economy.
Changing attitudes to minorities are reflected in equality legislation. This impacts on the nature of the market place and the needs and preferences of customers and consumers in relation to the goods and services they need and buy.
Also the European SME community is becoming increasingly diverse. Ethnic minority businesses and immigrants have become more established and are now providing products for the wider society. The number of women-owned businesses is steadily increasing. Making this link to the nature of diverse markets and accessing the widest possible pool of potential suppliers is an important part of the supply chain equation.
Procurement plays a key role in the need to respond to this changing external environment and obtain the best strategic fit. Organisations must produce products and services that are appropriate to an increasingly diverse market place, as well as have the ability to find the best suppliers from a diverse supplier base.
Failure to respond in this changing world may lead to strategic drift, loss of competitive advantage, as well as a drop in market share. By implementing supplier diversity procedures businesses can stay aligned with the changing market place.
Changing attitudes to minorities are reflected in equality legislation. This impacts on the nature of the market place and the needs and preferences of customers and consumers in relation to the goods and services they need and buy.
Also the European SME community is becoming increasingly diverse. Ethnic minority businesses and immigrants have become more established and are now providing products for the wider society. The number of women-owned businesses is steadily increasing. Making this link to the nature of diverse markets and accessing the widest possible pool of potential suppliers is an important part of the supply chain equation.
Procurement plays a key role in the need to respond to this changing external environment and obtain the best strategic fit. Organisations must produce products and services that are appropriate to an increasingly diverse market place, as well as have the ability to find the best suppliers from a diverse supplier base.
Failure to respond in this changing world may lead to strategic drift, loss of competitive advantage, as well as a drop in market share. By implementing supplier diversity procedures businesses can stay aligned with the changing market place.
The payoffs are typically broader than that. When companies make the conscious and active decision to diversify their supply chain they also create stronger relationships with their suppliers, create a more agile supply chain, spread supply chain risks and obtain market knowledge and market goodwill.
Supplier diversity is more advanced in the USA compared to Europe. Awareness levels are greater and practice is more widespread and more embedded in the US business culture.
How can you actively work with implementing supplier diversity in procurement:
How can you actively work with implementing supplier diversity in procurement:
- Start by obtaining the strategic overview. Before you plunge into the actual "doing" of supplier diversity, it is well worth spending some time thinking about your organisations visions for supplier diversity. It is also a good idea to carry out a market survey of the suppliers that are available in the market.
- Create a supplier diversity policy
- Review procurement policies, procedures and practices
- Make opportunities accessible
- Monitor performance
Alis Hemmingsen is a (Responsible) Procurement thought leader and company owner of "Responsible Procurement Excellence". She is a professional business blogger and expert consultant, facilitator and speaker. Click here to find out more about Alis and here to learn about her newest e-book on supplier diversity in Europe.
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