Ford earns Supplier Diversity Corporation of the Year award for third consecutive year

Ford Motor Company has been named Corporation of the Year by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC). Ford is the first automaker to garner the award for three consecutive years, which underscores the company's commitment to developing
and growing a diverse supply base that provides Ford customers with high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles everywhere in the world.

Over the past year, Ford's collaboration with diversity suppliers has remained steadfast. In 2011, Ford purchased $5.08-billion in goods and services from its tier-one minority-owned businesses (MBEs), a 34 per cent increase from $3.8-billion in 2010. Ford purchased $1.06-billion from its tier-one women-owned businesses (WBEs), an increase of 22 per cent from $866-million in 2010. The increases reflect higher vehicle production and incremental new business of $661-million for existing diverse suppliers. Additionally, Ford's tier-one suppliers increased their Women and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) spend by 29 per cent over 2010 or $1.66-billion in total.

"It is unprecedented for an automaker to be recognized by MMSDC for three years in a row," said Louis Green, CEO, MMSDC. "Ford refuses, though, to rest on its prior achievements. The company's relentless pursuit of minority business development excellence has made them a leader in the field, and they have turned these aspirations into real meaningful results."

MMSDC also honored Ford Senior Buyer for Construction & Site Management Purchasing Rod Zonca with Corporate Buyer of the Year for consistently including WMBEs in the bid process, showing WMBE spend growth and advancing supplier diversity and minority economic development.

"Ford has aggressively worked to develop and support certified WMBEs to increase capacity and growth, introduce new technology and enhance competiveness within Ford's supplier network and in the marketplace," said Tony Brown, Group Vice-President, Global Purchasing, Ford Motor Company. "Incredible innovation comes from our WMBE suppliers as well as increased employment across Michigan. The success of these suppliers equals success for Ford, its customers, and for the state of Michigan as a whole."

Posted in: Award,Corporation of the Year,Ford,International,Louis Green,Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council,MMSDC,Tony Brown