G4S has launched its Supplier Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiative in the UK, to integrate more diverse suppliers into its supply chain.
A supplier is considered diverse when 51% or more is owned and operated by an individual or group that is part of a traditionally underrepresented or under-served group. These groups include business owned by people from ethnic minorities, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community, those with disabilities, and those who are neurodivergent.
Supporting diverse suppliers
Jon Willescroft, Procurement Director for the G4S International businesses, said “At G4S we are committed to supporting diverse suppliers.”
Greater diversity of suppliers brings a richness of thoughts, ideas, and innovation"
“The benefits of a diverse supply chain are clear; our suppliers play a critical role in helping us run a successful business, delivering excellent service to our customers. Greater diversity of suppliers brings a richness of thoughts, ideas, and innovation. It’s also critical that our business reflects and supports the societies in which we operate, including often more marginalised, diverse communities.”
Sustainability technology platform
To achieve this in the UK, G4S is embedding the following practices across their business:
- Measure the use of diverse suppliers - Through a sustainability technology platform (Integrity Next) they are tracking their spend with diverse suppliers, allowing them to measure and set targets for the future.
- Identify and provide opportunities to new diverse suppliers - through their partnerships with Kaleida and MSDUK, they will invite more diverse suppliers to bid for work.
- Training and awareness - promote the benefits of using diverse suppliers to their procurement teams and wider business.
Supplier diversity programme
G4S is committed to making supplier diversity a business priority and before the end of this year it will:
- Host updates for business leaders on the supplier diversity programme.
- Deliver training to the procurement team on supplier diversity and partnerships with MSDUK and Kaleida.
- Set out its 3-year supplier diversity and inclusion objectives.
Finding diverse suppliers
G4S will expand its supplier diversity programme beyond the UK and into other key markets
From 2023, G4S will expand its supplier diversity programme beyond the UK and into other key markets. G4S has partnered with the following organisations to support the ongoing roll-out and embedding of Supplier Diversity & Inclusion in their business:
In September 2022, G4S joined Kaleida's growing list of large employers supporting Supplier Diversity. Kaleida International is the UK and EMEA's first fully-inclusive B2B marketplace for tenders connecting buyers to diverse suppliers. Finding diverse suppliers in the region is time-consuming as the process involves researching multiple databases. The Kaleida platform, a source of supplier diversity data, improves the accessibility of diverse suppliers to corporate buyers with an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) mandate.
Promoting broader representation
G4S is committed to promoting a broader representation of diverse suppliers in its supply chain. Kaleida’s platform will help enable this and ensure that future opportunities are more accessible to diverse businesses across the UK.
G4S is committed to promoting a broader representation of diverse suppliers in its supply chain
Jason Roberts, CEO of Kaleida International, said: “We are excited to partner with G4S, and make revenue generating opportunities accessible to marginalised communities across the UK, and Europe. Diverse Suppliers are asking for more access to economic equity to help grow their businesses. Diversity programmes like this one launched by G4S will help Diverse Suppliers overcome the economic hurdles often experienced by historically underutilised founders.”
Private sector supply chains
Jon Willescroft, Procurement Director for the G4S International businesses, said: “This partnership will be key in helping us to access, connect and work with a wide range of diverse suppliers, creating greater breadth and better representation across our supply chain.”
In September 2022 G4S agreed a partnership with Minority Supplier Development UK (MSDUK), the UK’s leading non-profit membership organisation driving inclusive procurement. MSDUK is a leading advocacy organisation that connects ethnic minority owned businesses across the UK, and is now expanding into Europe. They partner with over 100 global organisations, like G4S, to innovatively break through inequalities and barriers in public and private sector supply chains.
Provide opportunities to businesses
Through this new partnership, G4S will seek to promote and provide opportunities to businesses with ethnic minority owners, as part of its wider commitment to being an ethical and sustainable organisation - doing business the right way.
It will enable G4S to:
- Have regular engagement with MSDUK’s dedicated relationship manager to support the progress of their supplier diversity journey.
- Access peer engagement sessions with other corporates in the MSDUK’s network to learn industry best practices and share knowledge on supplier diversity with each other.
- Gain better access to certified ethnic minority businesses through shared database and hosted suppliers events.
Hosted suppliers events
MSDUK facilitates inclusive supply chains that work with under-represented entrepreneurs"
Mayank Shah, Founder, and CEO of MSDUK, said “We are delighted to add G4S to our list of over 110 public and private sector organisations to support ethnic minority businesses in the UK, connecting them with over 100 British and global companies."
"MSDUK facilitates inclusive supply chains that work with under-represented entrepreneurs to help drive socio-economic growth. The UK, as one of the most diverse countries, represents some of the most talented, innovative ethnic minority businesses in the world, and working with G4S, we at MSDUK would like to help these businesses grow.”
Jon Willescroft, Procurement Director for the International businesses, said “We are excited to work with MSDUK and through our partnership we seek to establish a broader representation of ethnic minority owned businesses in our supply chain.”
