MITIE Group plc was presented with an award for the good practice it has shown in influencing diversity right across its supply chain.
In 2010, a strategic decision was taken by MITIE’s Board – headed up by CEO Ruby McGregor-Smith – to embed diversity within the supply chain as part of the business’ corporate sustainability strategy and commitment to ethical business practices.
To identify the best approach, a pilot project was set up in partnership with strategic suppliers, clients and external organisations.
MITIE implemented a mentoring and knowledge transfer programme for diverse suppliers that, at the same time, created a dynamic cultural shift among its internal supply chain teams.
The pilot project brought about some exceptional results and highlighted Best Practice in terms of how to embed diversity in a supply chain.
Creating a benchmark for ongoing success
MITIE surveyed its supply base to create a benchmark for measuring ongoing success: 84% of its supply base were considered to be SMEs of which 16% were considered diverse at the time of the initial audit.
The MITIE supply chain team then simplified the procurement process to three steps, reducing entry barriers for diverse suppliers.
Several workshops were conducted with diverse suppliers advising and assisting them on procurement processes. This helped to build their internal capacity to pursue new and bigger business opportunities with MITIE and other large companies.
MITIE exceeded its annual target in just eight months, incorporating in excess of 150 diverse suppliers into its supplier base and spending circa GB pound 3 million with them in that period.
MITIE aligned a number of diverse suppliers with some of its strategic clients and key suppliers to ensure the further development of business opportunities.
Susan Watson, one of the judges for this category, commented: “MITIE impressed the judges with its strategic approach to embedding diversity within its supply chain, simplifying the procurement process, engaging and supporting a highly diverse pool of suppliers and ultimately reaping financial reward as a result. It has demonstrated that senior leadership commitment from the highest level can enable progress to be made very quickly.”
Ruby McGregor-Smith, chief executive at MITIE and also the outgoing chairman of Race for Opportunity, said: “The Race for Opportunity Awards programme recognises excellent practice in organisations working to create equal, diverse and inclusive workplaces, with a particular emphasis on race. Many congratulations to the organisations that entered the programme and, in particular, to those who won or were highly commended.”
Other notable winners at the awards included Deloitte, Thomson Reuters, Pearson, Ernst and Young, Google and Transport for London.
MITIE CEO nominated for National Business Award 2011
The Orange Leader of the Year Award is the highest accolade to be presented at The National Business Awards, and is the only award to be voted for by the wider business community and a panel of business leaders – with the overall winner determined by an aggregated score.
In 2011, MITIE Group plc CEO Ruby McGregor-Smith has been nominated in this category.
The full list of nominees this year is as follows:
Individuals considered for this award are drawn from a diverse range of sectors across both traditional blue chip organisations and those of the arts, sports, third and public sectors.
A long list of potential candidates is compiled by the National Business Awards team, researched and reputation checked before being refined into a final five who are invited to become finalists. This process begins right at the start of the year.
Previous winners of the Orange Leader of the Year have best demonstrated outstanding achievement, leadership, vision and business acumen over the course of a year.
Judges look for evidence of how, under the leadership of the individual, their organisation has optimised market opportunities and demonstrated substantial improvement in performance.
They also consider how they have engaged staff, nurtured and implemented innovation, increased their customer (or member) community, and embedded ethical or sustainable practice into the company culture.
Winners of the Orange Leader of the Year Award
Martin McCourt, CEO of Dyson, was named Orange Leader of the Year in 2010 out of a finalist group that included Dame Fiona Reynolds DBE (director-general, National Trust), Jeremy Lascelles (CEO, Chrysalis Group), Ken McMeikan (CEO, Greggs) and Nick Robertson (co-founder and CEO, ASOS.com).
Peter Marks (CEO of the Co-operative Group) was the winner of the inaugural Orange Leader of the Year Award in 2009 in a group that included John Bird (founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Big Issue), Ian Cheshire (CEO, Kingfisher plc), Sir William Sargent (CEO, Framestore) and Dame Marjorie Scardino (CEO, Pearson).
Organised by United Business Media, the 2011 National Business Awards take place at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Thursday 8 November. For further information and to book your table access the official National Business Awards 2011 website
