Johnson & Johnson Embraces Corporate Diversity and Earns a Spot at the Billion Dollar Roundtable

July 19, 2011

by Laura Berry

As more and more companies are realizing the benefits of investing in supplier diversity, one of NGLCC's corporate partners, Johnson & Johnson, has demonstrated their commitment by officially earning membership in the elite Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR), joining 17 other companies who each spend at least one billion dollars annually with minority- and women-owned businesses.

In a private speech last month to the Minority Business Roundtable, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius congratulated Johnson & Johnson for this significant achievement and encouraged more health care providers to make the same commitment.

"The fact that Johnson & Johnson is the first healthcare company to join this leadership group is important – and there’s a lot of opportunity for the healthcare industry as a whole, to increase its spending with minority- and women-owned businesses," said Sebelius. "It is a growing sector of our economy and provides lots of potential for new jobs and new products and services."

The Johnson & Johnson Supplier Diversity Program was formally established in 1998 to provide opportunities for qualified small and diverse businesses. Since then, the program has continued to grow and expand. According to Ruben Taborda, Vice President of Medical Device Procurement and Supplier Diversity, the Johnson & Johnson Supplier Diversity Program enables continued superior products and services. 

"Having a diverse supplier base strengthens our ability to conduct business across all cultures and geographies, and in doing so, gives us access to the thoughts, ideas, and perspectives of some of the most diverse and forward-thinking companies in the industry," said Taborda. 

There are nine Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) at Johnson & Johnson, all of which aim to give a voice to different diverse communities inside the organization. Johnson & Johnson companies work with these groups to build continuous improvement programs and to leverage their insights and expertise as educational resources. 

A key ERG at Johnson & Johnson is the Gay and Lesbian Organization for Business and Leadership (GLOBAL). Christine Ha and Manuel Diaz, employees of Johnson and Johnson and leaders of one of GLOBAL’s chapters, coordinated an education and engagement event in May to support supplier diversity and emphasize LGBT-owned businesses. The NGLCC participated in the event, which reached a broad group of ERG members, procurement officials, and the general employee base. 

"It was a great opportunity to promote simple, practical ways in which employees can support supplier diversity," said Diaz, Senior Procurement Analyst and GLOBAL co-chair.  

Next month, Diaz will speak at NGLCC’s 8th Annual National Business and Leadership Conference: "Out for Business" in Las Vegas. As part of a session panel, he will speak to corporate representatives on engaging ERGs and affinity networks to best reach vital stakeholders at the local level. 

Johnson & Johnson may have reached a pinnacle with the BDR, but employees like Ha and Diaz continue to remark on the vibrancy of the corporate culture, and the effect that open discussion about diversity has had on those that work at Johnson & Johnson companies. 

Denice Torres, President of McNeil Consumer Healthcare and a member of GLOBAL, has been with Johnson & Johnson for nearly seven years. In addition to being a prominent LGBT executive at Johnson & Johnson, Torres knows firsthand that diversity builds better business. In a recent interview, she spoke about initially trying to “fit the perceived norm” of the business world and eventually grew into the realization that she could be both more effective at work – and a lot happier – by just being herself. 

"My personal and career journey started with self-acceptance and grew to celebration," said Torres. "Like everyone else, my identity is filled with a number of different roles and experiences. I am a mom, a partner, a daughter, a sister, a late-night exerciser and someone who loves technology. I’ve been fortunate to have both wonderful personal and career experiences."

"Every person has a story,” continued Torres. "These collective stories and experiences bring strength and innovation to a company,” said Torres, "Johnson & Johnson is a company that really focuses on diversity and bringing out the best in every person."

For six consecutive years, Johnson & Johnson has received a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, offering same-sex partner benefits and an inclusive environment for all employees.

"Achieving membership in the BDR is another example of the commitment to diversity embedded in the company's values," said Justin Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder and President. "We look forward to growing our relationship with Johnson & Johnson and connecting our Certified LGBT Business Enterprises with a growing number of opportunities with this partner."