Gender Diversity: Would You Leave $12 Trillion On The Table?

Anne Tesch is one of those professionals who has facts and figures at her fingertips to back up every point she makes. As she tells Procurious, it’s vital that supply managers have the facts in their possession when pursuing a goal as important as increasing gender diversity.

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Why should gender diversity be high on every company’s agenda?  

Where should I start? There’s a vast amount of global research and evidence on the importance of women’s economic empowerment and the benefits of hiring women-owned businesses. To list a few key studies:

• McKinsey’s Global Institute report found that $12 trillion could be added to the Global GDP by 2025 by advancing women’s equality. Economies most impacted (with GDP gains) would be India (16%), Latin America (14%), China (12%), and Sub-Saharan African (12%);
• Another McKinsey survey found that 34% of companies said working with women-owned suppliers had increased their profits;
• Women perform 66% of the world’s work, produce 50% of the food, but earn only 10% of the income, and own very little of the world’s private property;
• There are approximately 187 million women entrepreneurs worldwide who own between 32% and 39% of all businesses in the formal economy;
• Women dominate the global marketplace by controlling more than $20 trillion in consumer spending that will rise to $30 trillion in the next decade; and
• According to research conducted by WEConnect International, women-owned businesses globally earn less than 1% of the money spent on products and services by large corporations and governments.

What are your recommendations for supply managers looking to increase their engagement with women-owned businesses?

1. Know your numbers

Firstly, it’s important to know the percentage of women-owned businesses in your supply arrangements.  Why not do some research and ask suppliers if they are “women-owned” which, by definition, means that they are at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by one or more women. Furthermore, why not consider tracking tier 2 spend, as smart companies will often increase spend with women-owned businesses to win large contracts.

 2. Spread the word

Convince others in your team that working with women-owned suppliers is good for business. A recent McKinsey survey indicated that working with women-owned suppliers increases profits, while the Hackett Group’s research last September shows 99% of diverse suppliers meet buyers’ expectations, with nearly 25% exceeding expectations.

Though improvement to the bottom line is always important, incorporating women-owned businesses in your supply chain also provides an opportunity to grow your customer base, attract and retain talent, and enhance your branding – all while increasing profits and reducing costs.

 3. Network, network, network

Accessing networks of women-owned businesses, even just to participate in RFPs, is a critical success factor but one of the more difficult parts of starting and managing a supplier diversity program.  Engaging with third parties that specialise in connecting buyers with diverse suppliers, such as WEConnect International, can assist this process. Our organisation certifies women-owned businesses through a rigorous, globally accepted process, and provides access to these organisations through our eNetwork.

What are the proven benefits of having more women in your supply chain?

Women influence the vast majority of purchasing decisions globally, but they are significantly underrepresented in global value chains. Even though more than one third of private businesses are owned and controlled by women, on average, women earn only 1 percent of large corporate and government spend globally. Benefits of having more women in your supply chain include:

• Mirroring your diverse customer and employee base – it’s important to reflect the communities around the globe where you operate, not only with staffing, but also with your supplier base;
• Supporting your corporate clients – more corporates are growing their tier 2 inclusive sourcing programs and requesting reporting from their prime suppliers;
• Supporting business growth in new markets;
• Accessing innovation and securing competitive advantage from new SMEs offering more creative options;
• Reducing costs through competitive bidding;
• Accessing local networks and knowledge; and
• Enhancing the company brand and community engagement by promoting success stories about working with women-owned businesses.

Anne Tesch and other leaders in the profession will be speaking at Quest’s Women in Procurement 2017 event in Melbourne on 26-27 April. Visit Quest Events to download a brochure and find out more.

WEConnect International is a global network that connects women-owned businesses to qualified buyers around the world.