Beyond the jubilant sounds of the vuvuzela horns is a country in dire need of a sustainable economic system that champions the development and inclusion of black business. As a leading SME development /supplier diversity expert in the USA for over three decades, last year I conducted a supplier diversity best practices briefing with corporate executives and facilitated training seminars with several transformation and procurement managers of South African corporations. The engagement was sponsored by the National Business Initiative (NBI) and funded by USAID. This was my third trip to South Africa having participated in two early USAID funded missions in 1994 and 1995. During my preparation for my visit; interacting with the professionals from NBI; listening to the corporate representatives who attended the training sessions; and visiting Soweto with my wife including a moving tour of the Hector Pieterson Museum, I discovered a proud country that will never forget the many sacrifices made to destroy apartheid. But I also discovered a country with rich, underutilized human capital that is determined to show the world its greatness.
As I reflect on this experience, I am convinced that the key to unlocking the promise of South Africa is supplier diversity.
Supplier diversity is important because it creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to start and grow enterprises which will contribute to South Africa’s expansion. Community-based businesses are important, but the economic impact of successful corporate suppliers could seed South Africa’s black middle class. That expansion is not just important for the economic impact of jobs and commerce, but it also creates a pool of community leaders and role models for an entire nation.
Entrepreneurs make major contributions to the spirit of a community. Their success becomes the community’s success. Their confidence becomes contagious and inspires others to achieve. Their success is also accompanied by influence - influence used to gain better schools and healthcare for their communities.
The founding of the South African Supplier Diversity Council (SASDC) is a major step to achieving this objective. However, establishing a sustainable supplier diversity initiative in South Africa requires all stakeholders to take action.
Let me offer a few action items for the other stakeholders:
Corporate leaders - Support SASDC, open up your markets and engage in black supplier development.
Bankers and insurance executives – Support SASDC, develop creative vehicles for financing current and future black suppliers.
Elected officials - Enforce the BEE Codes fairly and invest in education.
University administrators – Collaborate with SASDC, add entrepreneurship to your curriculum and provide capacity building training to existing entrepreneurs.
NGOs – Focus on enterprise development.
Families – Encourage youth to excel in school and support their entrepreneurial ventures
Communities – Embrace entrepreneurship and support NGOs that do so
Consumers – Only buy products from businesses that practice supplier diversity
Potential entrepreneurs – Follow your dreams, and collaborate with other black businesses at home, in America and worldwide.
I have one last suggestion. Let’s blow the vuvuzela horns every time a South African corporation contracts with a black supplier. May the sound be deafening!
Ralph Moore
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