Herman Miller's suppliers come to us with a rich mix of talent, competence, and commitment. Their performance and dedication matter a great deal to us; their gender, ethnicity, size, and so on do not. By including a wide range of suppliers in our business community, together we create great places to work, heal, learn, and live.
Here at Supplier Diversity, our key programs include:- Strategic sourcing: We constantly search for the best talent and the best products.
- Tier 2 program: We develop participation and commitment throughout our supply chain.
- Mentoring: We help our suppliers learn how to succeed.
- Economic empowerment: We help build economic advantage for Herman Miller and all its suppliers.
Herman Miller's Commitment to Supplier Diversity
At Herman Miller we are committed to a robust business process that ensures diverse business participation in an open, fair, and inclusive purchasing environment. We believe that expanding our qualified diversity supplier network, and sharing diversity supplier best practices not only makes good business sense, but is also the right way to build a stronger community.
To support our supplier diversity efforts, Herman Miller employs several strategies:- Supplier Sourcing and Qualification. Herman Miller seeks to create an inclusive supply chain where capable, qualified, diverse suppliers participate in the procurement process, and support our mission to create great places to work, heal, learn, and live. We accomplish this through networking, registration of suppliers, on-site supplier visits, and by opening bid opportunities to diverse suppliers.
- Tier 2 Reporting Program. Herman Miller's commitment to supplier diversity extends to its prime suppliers, who are required to be actively involved with supporting supplier diversity and to award a portion of their contracts to diverse suppliers.
- Mentoring Program. With our mentoring program, we take an active role in supporting the development of diversity suppliers. We share best practices in the areas of business, finance, lean manufacturing, and marketing, and create opportunities for suppliers to network with our Supply Management teams. J-Max Transportation Services, Inc., and Primera Plastics, Inc., are examples of our success working with diverse suppliers through this program.
- Community and Business Outreach. Through corporate memberships in the National Minority Supplier Development Council, and Women's Business Enterprise National Council, Herman Miller supports national and regional programs that create opportunities for diverse suppliers to network with corporations and to learn business strategies for improving their businesses. This support extends to the communities in which we and our suppliers serve, through sponsorships and charitable giving through the Herman Miller Foundation.
- Training and Education. Herman Miller continually works to create awareness of its supplier diversity efforts within and outside of the organization. Through conducting supplier diversity training with Supply Management and other internal departments, to presenting at community programs, Herman Miller contributes to sharing best practices and educating its communities about the value of supplier diversity and its impact on our organization and our society.
Our Supplier Diversity program, like our nationally recognized environmental program, doesn't exist to win awards or fill arbitrary quotas. We simply believe in a level playing field and embrace our opportunity to help diverse suppliers to become successful businesses. By doing the right thing, awards and recognition will follow.
In fact, in 2006, Herman Miller was named one of the Top 10 Corporations for Supplier Diversity by DiversityInc magazine, and awarded the 2006 "Corporation of the Year Award," in the Commercial Products sector, by the Michigan Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC).
Minority/Women Business Enterprises
Read our Minority/Women Business Enterprises Policy Statement (24KB PDF).
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