THE MATURITY STAGES OF A TRUSTED DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM: One DNA for DEI and Supplier Diversity

By ANA MARIA QUINTERO LOWRY and SUSAN BAILEY SCHRAMM

With over three decades of experience in corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and serving the Supplier Diversity community, Ana Maria Lowry and Susan Bailey Schramm created this book to begin a dialogue. The purpose is to:

a) provide a vision for what is possible to achieve with a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem, and

b) invite readers t

• Language: English
• Publisher: A & P International, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781952756801

Book preview

The Maturity Stages

of a Trusted Diverse

Ecosystem

One DNA for DEI and

Supplier Diversity

ANA MARIA QUINTERO LOWRY

AND

SUSAN BAILEY SCHRAMM

Published by Victorious You Press™

Charlotte NC, USA

Copyright © 2022 Ana Maria Quintero Lowry and Susan Bailey Schramm All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews, quotes, or references.

While the author has made every effort to ensure that the ideas, statistics, and information presented in this Book are accurate to the best of his/her abilities, any implications direct, derived, or perceived, should only be used at the reader’s discretion. The author cannot be held responsible for any personal or commercial damage arising from communication, application, or misinterpretation of the information presented herein.

All rights reserved.

TITLE: The Maturity Stages of a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem

First Printed: 2022

Cover Designer: Samuel Lowry

Editor: Patty Lauterjung

ISBN: 978-1-952756-80-1(eBook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022910427

Printed in the United States of America

For more information about Victorious You Press contact [e-mail] or visit our website www.victoriousyoupress.com

For more information about A&P International

contact [e-mail] or visit our

website http://anpintl.com

For more information about Go to Market Impact contact [e-mail] or visit our website  https://gotomarketimpact.com/

Dedication

To the Creator for molding each one of us in His image with a diverse and unique identity.

To our clients for allowing our team to be part of theirs and together building a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem.

Table of Contents

What the Industry Is Saying…

Introduction

Chapter 1 - What Is the Big Deal?

Why: What Problem Are We Solving?

Who: Key Players in Supplier Diversity and Workforce DEI

How: The Way It’s Been and the Way Forward

Why We Care

Takeaway

Chapter 2 - When Workforce DEI and Supplier Diversity Programs Don’t Work

How We Got Here

What Has Not Worked: When Workforce DEI and Supplier Diversity Gets Stuck

What Is Standing in the Way?

Takeaway

Chapter 3 - A Better Way: A Trusted Diverse Ecosystem

Let’s Imagine a Marketplace Ecosystem

Common DNA: A Foundation for Trust

Transformation to Create Outcomes and Possibilities

The Common DNA Values in a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem

Takeaway

Chapter 4 - What About the Risk?

There Are Two Dimensions of Risk

The Risk of Diversity Programs

The De-Risk System for Impact℠

Takeaway

Chapter 5 - Stages of Maturity of a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem

Four Stages of Maturity

The Maturity Stages of a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem

Takeaway

Chapter 6 - Stage One: Visible and Diverse

How It Works

Employees and Suppliers

Networking Across Your Organization and Industry

The Value This Stage Brings

The Challenges at This Stage

Takeaway

Chapter 7 - Stage Two: Equipped and Diverse

How It Works

The Value This Stage Brings

The Challenges at This Stage

Takeaway

Chapter 8 - Stage Three: Aligned and Diverse

How It Works

Building Relationships

The Value This Stage Brings

The Challenges at This Stage

Takeaway

Chapter 9 - Stage Four: A Trusted Diverse Ecosystem

How It Works

Optimizing the Risk

The Value This Stage Brings

Where to Start: Four Considerations as You Build a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem

Takeaway

Chapter 10 - Final Thoughts

The Symphony of Diversity

About the Authors

What the Industry Is Saying…

"I am truly passionate about the work that I do. As Community and Citizenship Manager for Turner Construction Company (Turner), I am pleased to lead our community involvement and Supplier Diversity development efforts across Central Florida.

Our Supplier Diversity and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are not about setting diversity quotas. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are essential to Turner’s success. When we celebrate our differences and unite around our common values, we create greater value for our clients, build deeper connections with our communities, and develop stronger relationships with our trade partners.

This isn’t a new idea. In 1969, Turner opened the Turner School of Construction Management––a free educational program for small, disadvantaged, minority-owned, women-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. It is one of the most prestigious educational and community outreach programs in the commercial construction industry. Our aim is to improve the economic viability of underrepresented business enterprises and increase the number and quality of opportunities available to growing businesses. These small and diverse business leaders come to the program for training on construction principles that Turner applies when doing business with our customers across the country.

To equip our suppliers even further, we have enjoyed our partnership with A & P International. Doing business with large corporations isn’t always easy. It requires not only expertise in your trade, but expertise in running a business. A & P helps equip the leaders of our small and diverse business partners by helping them put in place the fundamentals to sustain their businesses for the long term.

I believe a Trusted Diverse Ecosystem can work. When small minority contractors align with Prime