Parts Take Shape, So Did Our Supplier Diversity Program–20 Years Ago

You couldn’t adjust an Embody chair without the part made in this mold. Primera Plastics does it. Noel Cuellar and Ethan Barde run the company. They’re “graduates” of our mentoring effort, a part of the Supplier Diversity Program we began 20 years ago.

We’ve made a lot of progress since then, and report on our performance each year. Primera—“a couple of guys who started with nothing,” according to Noel—has also grown. With hard work and guidance from us on logistics and lean manufacturing, it is now a Tier 1 supplier for us and the largest Hispanic-owned company in West Michigan.

Primera is not alone among our diverse suppliers. At the end of last fiscal year, our total spending with minority-owned businesses reached 14.5 percent.

“That translates to just under $100 million last fiscal year,” notes Kimberly Coffman, Herman Miller’s manager of Supplier Diversity. “It may not seem like a big number, but on a percentage basis, we’re in the same league as the DiversityInc Top 10 companies. They averaged 13 percent of their direct contractor spending with minority-owned businesses.”

Coffman says Herman Miller isn’t about to dwell on the 20th anniversary of its Supplier Diversity Program. “We have an ambitious 17 percent goal for spending with minority-owned businesses for this fiscal year,” she says. “It’s within reach too, because we don’t just believe that a diverse community makes for a stronger company, we act on it.”

Another action step this year is our new Supplier Diversity Advisory Council. “Our CFO is the executive sponsor,” says Coffman. “I think that says a lot about our commitment to developing a diverse supplier base. For us, doing good is synonymous with doing good business.”

Connecting With Minority Businesses

For 20 years, Herman Miller has advocated for the growth and inclusion of small and diverse businesses within its supply chain. And we’ve been a driving force for supporting Michigan businesses and our local economy.

So it’s appropriate that we’re sponsoring an exhibit this week at the 29th annual Michigan Minority Procurement Conference, “Rising Above A Dynamic Economy,” which will give us a chance to connect with some of the most accomplished minority business entrepreneurs in the state. It’s a great opportunity for Herman Miller to remain connected to what’s happening in the minority business community, to network and continue to build relationships with existing and potential suppliers, and to identify firms who can help bring new and innovative products to market for our customers.

The conference, held May 4 through 6, is hosted by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council at Cobo Conference and Exhibition Center in Detroit, Michigan. The show will feature presentations, professional development seminars, and networking events. Around 300 major corporations and 1,200 minority business enterprises are expected to convene.

We’re looking forward to continuing our tradition of advocating for inclusiveness and diversity, and supporting our community.