When National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Corporate Partner, PepsiCo sponsored a networking reception following the LGBT Supplier Diversity Roundtable in Chicago last month, the NGLCC noticed that PepsiCo's global procurement supplier diversity teams and LGBT employee resource group (ERG) were represented at the event.
PepsiCo's global procurement and supplier diversity teams and EQUAL@PepsiCo, the company's LGBTA ERG, had worked together on the Chicago reception—setting an example for other companies for successful partnership between corporate ERGs and supplier diversity teams.
"Diversity and inclusion is an integrated, not an individual, effort and a fundamental part of the PepsiCo culture," said Gregory Thomas, director of global procurement and supplier diversity at PepsiCo. "You cannot have an overall effective program if you view workplace diversity on one side and supplier diversity on another."
EQUAL acts as the "feet on the street" for the global procurement and supplier diversity teams by providing them with insights on LGBT issues, sharing best practices from other companies, and providing names of local LGBT vendors interested in supplying to PepsiCo, said marketing project coordinator and co-chair of EQUAL, Trung Tieu.
Developing membership to EQUAL by educating individuals on LGBT workplace issues, and honing members' business competencies are two goals EQUAL has been able to accomplish more effectively by working with PepsiCo's global procurement and supplier diversity teams, Tieu said.
"As with any relationship, communication is the key to its success," Tieu said. "As things evolve within the LGBT community, EQUAL shares them with the procurement and supplier diversity [teams]. For instance, it's critical for all of our diversity and inclusion teams to know about the Human Rights Campaign's new requirements to achieve 100 percent on the Corporate Equality Index in the upcoming years. It's especially important for EQUAL to work with our supplier diversity team to make sure that we accomplish this goal."
Although such collaboration is not often maintained within a corporation, NGLCC senior manager of supplier diversity and corporate relations, Victoria Fulkerson says it is essential for successful supplier diversity initiatives.
"In supplier diversity, we often talk about it as a best practice for a corporation to make sure there's a strong supplier diversity initiative and a team of people working with the supplier diversity group and that they're connecting with the LGBT employee resource group on a regular basis," Fulkerson said.
PepsiCo maintains strong diversity and inclusion programs by participating in joint support programs, Thomas said. Specifically, Tieu serves on the NGLCC Corporate Advisory Board, while Thomas represents PepsiCo on the NGLCC Procurement Council.
"In the future, we hope to have members of EQUAL sign up for and get trained as site auditors for the NGLCC certification process," Thomas said. "This will not only bring the two groups closer, but can provide critical experiences for employees as part of their career development."
PepsiCo has also been named NGLCC Corporation of the Year, and will be honored at this year's National Dinner: An Evening of Courage!
