A 2006 study by the Hackett Group found that companies focused on supplier diversity saw a 33 percent return on the cost of operations, resulting in a more effective supply chain than those who did not have a supplier diversity program. 17 years out from that study, supplier diversity initiatives are catching on across the …
Equity in Supplier Diversity: 3 Tips for Expanding Your Programs Read More »
Starting a business is a labor of love. Four years ago, on Martin Luther King Jr.’s Day, JQOL – Quality of Life’s only office was my basement. Now, we employ over 45 professionals across three offices in two states. My dream was to create a business that had an impact on people’s daily lives, and …
I’ve always had a passion for marketing and communications work, and though I had always worked for someone, one day I decided to take the plunge into self-employment. I started Herd Strategies in 2011, and since then the business has grown—both in headcount and clientele. As a Black, woman-owned business, our 12-year journey has included …
A Seat at the Table: My Journey as a Minority Business Owner Read More »
A 2015 joint study by SAVI and IUPUI found that residents of Carmel had an average life expectancy of 83.7 years, while the average resident living south of Monument Circle doesn’t live to see their 70th birthday—a figure comparable to many developing nations. How does a 14-mile difference equate to a 14-year difference in life …
Lifespans Without Borders: Bridging the ZIP Code Life Expectancy Gap Read More »
Business Equity for Indy (BEI), which was established in October 2020, is a collection of stakeholders on a mission to drive change and advance racial equity. Late last year, our Chairman, Jeff Harrison shared, “As BEI celebrates two years of work toward equity, we also recognize that our journey is, in many ways, just beginning. …
Professional football teams build franchises by drafting young talent from college or recruiting available professional talent via free agency. At the end of every season, most football fans and cities begin to anticipate and discuss potential new talent teams will bring in to pursue a championship. Fans start looking at the top college players and …
Talent Development: Building Every Employee to be a Champion Read More »
Real estate developers working with communities to determine what their needs are—it’s an idea that seems radical. When you think of a developer, you probably picture a group of people in a board room deciding what they want to build without consulting the people that live in the area first. And in many cases, you’re …
Building With, Not For: Developing Communities Together Read More »
Business Equity for Indy Chair Jeffrey Harrison has said, “In order to grow a more inclusive business environment, company CEOs, managers, and boards must shift mindsets to improve the systemic roadblocks to equity.” I couldn’t agree more. We’ve watched companies across America and throughout Indiana publish inspiring statements and pledge billions of dollars toward achieving …
Achieving a Corporate Social Mindset Shift for Racial Equity Read More »
It’s difficult to place a number on the cost of one’s suffering—but it is something that must be done. Mental illness holds one in five Hoosiers—a disproportionate share of which are people of color—in a tight grip. It will take a combination of intentional outreach, supportive services, and funding to help someone break free. $4.2 …
During the summer of 2020, at the height of racial tensions coupled with the dire, disproportional impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Central Indiana business community united to form Business Equity for Indy (BEI). Through this initiative—a joint partnership of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and Indy Chamber with support from the Indianapolis Urban League, …
Business Equity for Indy—Two Year Anniversary Reflections Read More »