Black & Veatch is committed to finding diverse suppliers and business partners in all our endeavors around the globe. We value the participation of diverse suppliers and subcontractors to enrich our ability to serve clients’ business needs and meet their most complex challenges. By encouraging diversity in perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures, we believe we widen the spectrum of solutions offered to clients – innovative solutions through a diverse team with a “collective perspective.” Learn more about our Business Diversity Program
Black & Veatch identifies, prequalifies, and promotes the utilization of diverse suppliers and subcontractors (collectively referred to as “Suppliers”) for maximum opportunity to participate in providing goods and services to Black & Veatch. Our Supplier Diversity Program provides various opportunities for businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, service-disabled veterans, LGBTQ individuals, and disability-owned businesses capable of meeting Black & Veatch’s procurement requirements. We believe utilizing diverse businesses in our supply chain enhances the economic vitality of the communities where we and our clients live and work.
Black & Veatch has corporate commitment from all levels of leadership and a history of success in helping clients reach or exceed diversity goals. Our commitment to Business Diversity is consistent with our business objective to lead the industry in value creation for our clients’ projects, stakeholders, professionals, partners, and communities.
Your Goals Are Our Goals
Our project experiences have established a deep appreciation and understanding of client expectations for partnering with diverse and local business enterprises. We value the participation of diverse Suppliers to enrich our ability to serve clients’ business needs and meet their most complex challenges.
Committed to maximizing diversity and local content, our Diversity Program Manager works closely with clients to create a comprehensive list of local and diverse companies for subcontract scope, miscellaneous field/construction supplies, and rental equipment. In addition, we utilize local suppliers whenever possible for commodity materials, and ensure procurement packages are structured to permit the participation of diverse businesses to the maximum extent possible. Through this collaborative approach, we have been able to establish a strong network of diverse local suppliers and subcontractors for our clients.
Continuous Diversity Development
Not satisfied with the status quo, we are always seeking ways to grow our diverse and local spend on our projects. Our Diversity Program Manager actively engages with internal project teams and management to specifically discuss Supplier Diversity goals at the RFP stage as well as during execution to identify opportunities for development. We track participation and awards to diverse suppliers to continue the growth, strength, and accountability of our program.
We routinely participate in many local and national outreach activities, such as procurement matchmaking events, trade shows, conferences, and other networking activities. We annually attend the EEI Business Diversity Conference, WBENC National Conference, and the NMSDC National Conference, among others.
Mentoring
Our successful mentoring program provides a proven path for strengthening diverse and local companies to support future work. One example is Custom Engineering, a certified MBE that we are mentoring through the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce POWER Connections Mentoring Program. Our Mentees are engaged with key corporate resources, such as finance, marketing, and human resources. The Mentor and Mentee meet at least quarterly and discuss dashboard-driven results. Additionally, we have mentored firms in third-party certifications.
Memberships
We maintain active corporate participation and membership in a variety of organizations designed to provide a positive impact on diverse business entrepreneurship. Memberships provide opportunities to identify diverse suppliers and include the following:
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City
Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City (Black & Veatch Diversity Program Manager is Board Member.)
Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (Black & Veatch Diversity Program Manager is Diverse Business Committee Member.)
Kansas City Procurement Roundtable
Awards
During the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 annual “Power of Diversity” breakfast, Black & Veatch was named winner of the “Champion of Diversity” award, presented to a regional business “that has made a durable commitment to embracing diversity in their workplace, diversity supplier partnerships, and the community.”
In recognition for our business diversity program, Black & Veatch received the 2017 AT&T Diversity Excellence Award for our commitment and support of AT&T in its goal to work with minority, women, veteran, and disabled veteran-owned companies in our supply chain.
Black & Veatch has received The Kansas Department of Commerce Kansas Corporation of the Year in 2016 for our leadership and the opportunities our Business Diversity Program provides for diverse businesses.
Conclusion
Black & Veatch believes diverse Suppliers can provide innovation, increase competition, quality, and flexibility. Companies who have successful business diversity initiatives have continued to be competitive and successful at capturing and maintaining new opportunities.
For more information, contact businessdiversity@bv.com or reach out to our Diversity Program Manager, Roxanne Powers, at PowersRM@bv.com or 913-458-8442.
