Social Responsibility

Delphi helps provide 'Face Time' for minority supplier base in Texas

With an organizational lead provided by members of the minority supplier development team, Delphi, Coca-Cola, Dell and several other companies sponsored the "El Paso Face Time Expo" for minority business enterprise (MBE) suppliers in October. The event was designed to provide nearly 30 central and south Texas-based MBE suppliers with information, tips, strategies and ideas about how to do business in Mexico and globally.

Carolyn Schmies, Delphi's Diversity and Training manager, opened the expo and highlighted the importance and need for these minority supplier events. "Our customers establish annual Supplier Diversity Development spend goals for Tier 1 suppliers ranging from 5-9 percent of sales in 2007," Schmies said. "Also, our customers are starting to demand diversity goals for each new quote at a program or project level. Targets for supplier diversity goals beyond 2007 can range as high as 15 percent of sales."

Sid Johnson, Delphi vice president for Global Supply Management, also spoke on the importance of diversity in the supplier process. "Diversity is not just about gender and race it's about diversity of thinking as well," he said. "The real power of diversity is when we can bring people with these different backgrounds and ways of thinking together and then provide the best possible solutions for Delphi's global customers."

Several Delphi Global Supply Management buyers, managers and directors participated in a workshop detailing how Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers can purchase from Delphi via our Tier 1 suppliers. This event provided an excellent opportunity for Team Delphi to meet qualified, capable minority suppliers and to begin building solid working relationships with them.

Delphi is an active member in the Central & South Texas Minority Business Council that sponsored the expo.