The NGLCC's affiliate chambers are active in their Supplier Diversity Initiative efforts this fall, with an event held earlier this month by Plexus in Ohio, and an NGLCCNY roundtable discussion about certification coming in October.
On Sept. 17, Plexus, the NGLCC's affiliate LGBT chamber in Ohio, held its Supplier Diversity Summit, where it educated businesses about the certification process and how to leverage certification once it's obtained. During the daylong summit, small business owners attended sessions specifically tailored to their needs, while corporate representatives attended sessions focused on adding LGBT-owned businesses to their supply chains.
"We are helping to achieve a more inclusive and diverse community in Cleveland by offering this unique forum for MBEs, WBEs and LGBTBEs to gather," said Eric Lutzo, president of Plexus. "Attending the summit [was] a great way to stay competitive and network with other businesses and corporate representatives."
On Monday, Oct. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. the NLGCC will be co-hosting a supplier diversity education event with affiliate chamber, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, at the J.W. Marriott in Los Angeles, CA. For more information, contact supplierdiversity@nglcc.org. The event will feature NGLCC vice president of corporate relations and supplier diversity, Victoria Fulkerson.
On Oct. 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., NGLCCNY, the NGLCC's affiliate in New York, will be hosting its Supplier Diversity Roundtable, What is Certification and How Does it Help Me?
The roundtable event, which is hosted by MetLife at the MetLife Building in New York City, will introduce business owners to NGLCC certification, and will feature the NGLCC's president and co-founder, Justin Nelson, as a guest speaker. Nelson, along with fellow panelists, Sheri Shafir of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Neil Cerbone of Neil Cerbone Associates, will offer insights into making connections between small LGBT-owned businesses and large corporations looking for diverse suppliers.
"I'm looking forward to speaking at the What is Certification event." Nelson said. "I always enjoy helping LGBT business owners learn how best to grow their companies and connect with our corporate partners and one another."
To register for the free NGLCCNY event, click here.
In addition to these NGLCC affiliate-hosted events, several NGLCC corporate partners and diverse suppliers are scheduled to host events this fall.
National Grid, a major New England electric power company, will host The Power of Connections at the National Grid offices in Hicksville, N.Y. on Oct. 7. For more information and to register for the event, click here.
The Greenlining Institute and the Financial Services Consortium are also hosting a matchmaking event, Let's Do Business Now!, which will be held in Los Angeles, Calif. On Nov. 5. Attendees will learn about contracting opportunities available between Fortune 500 companies and small businesses. For more information about the event, click here.
On Nov. 9-10, Toyota will host its Opportunity Exchange, a free tradeshow and conference designed to build business relationships between Toyota's Tier I suppliers and minority-owned businesses. The event will be held at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information and to register for the event, click here.
Are these events not in your area? If you are interested in attending a Supplier Diversity Initiative program, e-mail supplierdiversity@nglcc.org to request an event at a location near you.
