AUBURN HILLS, Mich.,
June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --
- Program will develop Black suppliers for future contracting and
procurement opportunities and success in a post-pandemic
economy
- New online virtual procurement and contracting marketplace will
build a bridge between the public and private sectors to create
substantive business opportunities for Black suppliers
- Portal will enable the program to qualify, train and develop
Black businesses for future contracting opportunities
- Announcement part of 2021 observance of Juneteenth
Stellantis and the National Business League (NBL) have formed a
national partnership to develop Black suppliers for future
contracting and procurement opportunities in the pursuit of greater
racial equity in the marketplace.
The Stellantis-NBL National Black Supplier Development Program
will support the development of more than 2.9 million Black
businesses around the country and internationally for future
opportunities within the federal government and public and private
sectors.
Stellantis over the next three years will anchor the development
of a virtual training and development portal at the heart of the
program, then open the online portal to its suppliers, followed by
all Original Equipment Manufacturers, the federal government and
other public and private companies throughout various industries
and sectors domestic and abroad.
The portal will enable the program to qualify, train and develop
Black businesses for future contracting opportunities. Its resource
marketplace will also provide access to capital, mentorship and
executive coaching, supplier training and development, bid posting,
matchmaking, supply chain solutions, talent placement and
acquisition and more.
"As a key part of our corporate diversity, inclusion and
engagement strategy, Stellantis is excited to partner with the
National Business League to ensure that all Black Business
Enterprises and suppliers have an equitable and inclusive stake in
the global marketplace," said Mark
Stewart, COO, Stellantis — North
America. "Post-pandemic and in response to rising demands
for social and economic justice for all people, finding equitable
and impactful ways to engage and empower Black businesses is
critical to the sustainable development of Black entrepreneurs and
communities."
About 95% of Black-owned businesses today are mainly comprised
of solopreneurs — home-based, one-employee enterprises — or are
considered micro-businesses. Of these, fewer than 3% are minority
or agency certified, and most do not have the capacity, scope and
scale to meet the demands of future contracting and procurement
opportunities with Fortune 500 companies and the federal
government.
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately
affected Black businesses nationally. An estimated 40% of
Black-owned businesses closed permanently in 2020, according to CBS
News, while the digital divide has created a systemic barrier to
entry into the marketplace among Black businesses.
"The upside potential for Black Business Enterprises is
immeasurable when the focus is on development, equity and
inclusion," said Dr. Kenneth Harris,
president and CEO of the National Business League. "This is where
we truly start to level the playing field by bringing commerce
solutions to the marketplace to solve economic problems."
The online virtual procurement and contracting marketplace is
expected to realize 20-30% of the untapped business potential of
Black suppliers. The goal is to create sustainable Black businesses
that will impact the local and global economies, creating jobs
through entrepreneurship and growing the number of Black businesses
of all sizes.
"The Stellantis-NBL National Black Supplier Development Program
is an idea whose time has come," said Isiah
Thomas, chairman and CEO of ISIAH International, LLC.
"Equitable access to both international and domestic business
opportunities by Black businesses is fundamentally important to the
future of our economy and opportunities available to Black people
and communities."
National Business League:
The National Business League, which was founded on August 23, 1900, by the legendary Booker T. Washington, is the first and largest
nonprofit, non-partisan and non-sectarian Black business and
professional trade association. The NBL, celebrating a 120-year
legacy, has more than 120,000 members nationwide and 125 plus
Fortune 500 Corporate Partners, with regional offices in
Atlanta, GA, Detroit, MI, Los
Angeles, CA, and Washington,
D.C., as well as more than 367 local league chapters across
the country. The organization provides access to 2.6 million Black
businesses throughout the United
States. Visit www.nationalbusinessleague.org, Twitter
@theNBL1900, Instagram @NBL1900, and Facebook @theNBL1900.
Stellantis
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the
world's leading automakers and a mobility provider, guided by a
clear vision to offer freedom of movement with distinctive,
affordable and reliable mobility solutions. In addition to the
Group's rich heritage and broad geographic presence, its greatest
strengths lie in its sustainable performance, depth of experience
and the wide-ranging talents of employees working around the globe.
Stellantis will leverage its broad and iconic brand portfolio,
which was founded by visionaries who infused the brands with
passion and a competitive spirit that speaks to employees and
customers alike. Stellantis aspires to become the greatest, not the
biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders, as well
as the communities in which it operates.
Follow company news and video on:
Company blog:
http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Company website: www.stellantis.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/Stellantis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StellantisNA
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Twitter: @StellantisNA
YouTube: http://youtube.com/StellantisNA
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SOURCE Stellantis