Improving supplier diversity and inclusion in supply chains

With roots in the U.S. civil rights movements in the 1950s and 1960s, supplier diversity (SD) programmes are essential for addressing social injustice (Bateman et al., 2020). A diverse supplier is defined as a business that is at least 51% owned and run by traditionally underrepresented or underserved individuals or groups, such as small-business enterprises, minority-owned enterprises, and woman-owned enterprises. The definition has since broadened to include businesses owned by other minority groups, including the disabled, veterans and the LGBTQ + community (Bateman et al., 2020). As companies continue to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) throughout their supply chains, SD has merged as a key component of sustainable supply chains and thus corporate strategy. The articles in this special issue emphasise the importance of moving beyond compliance to embracing supplier diversity as a driver for competitiveness through innovation and social impact.