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In the December issue of the Journal of Healthcare Contracting, Lamont Robinson, Senior Director of Supplier Diversity at Novation—an HSCA member and winner of Diversity Plus magazine’s Champion of Diversity Award—discusses the process of developing a supplier diversity program, from inception to implementation, and the role of the GPO in this process. A diverse company is defined as a business that is at least 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by women, veterans and/or minorities, or that are located in historically underutilizes business zones, or are associated with sheltered workshops.
“Diverse companies are knowledgeable and persistent about finding ways to work with the hospitals and the GPO,” he says. “The GPO acts as an incubator to help these businesses become national. But, even without a national presence, [diverse companies] can find regional opportunities by working with the GPO. We also work to educate Novation employees on the needs of the members and suppliers.”
In the article, Robinson discusses the building blocks of a successful supplier diversity program, from leadership to brand identity, and what those leaders must do regarding establishing an operating budget and determining diversity spend.