Clemson University has received the Jesse L. Moore Supplier 2022 Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and only print diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. This is the second year in a row, Clemson has been recognized for its support of minority-owned businesses.
According to Director of Procurement Mike Nebesky, it is leadership from across the University making supplier diversity a priority that has been key to Clemson’s success.
Jerry Knighton Jr., vice president for access and equity and executive director of supplier diversity, agrees. “At Clemson, we have a strong internal partnership between the Division of Inclusion and Equity, Procurement and Business Services and Capital Projects, and we work collaboratively to identify and provide minority owned businesses with opportunities to compete for contracts.”
About the Award
The INSIGHT Into Diversity Jesse L. Moore 2022 Supplier Diversity Award is a national recognition honoring colleges and universities that take proactive steps to support and engage with minority-owned businesses through supplier diversity offices, unique programs, and leading initiatives. Winners will be announced in the April 2022 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Each year, trillions of dollars are spent on goods and services by institutions of higher education, yet there is little recognition of the contributions colleges and universities are making to support diverse suppliers in their communities. The INSIGHT Into Diversity Jesse L. Moore 2022 Supplier Diversity Award recipients were selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity based on their efforts to engage and retain suppliers from underrepresented groups.
“When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), colleges and universities have traditionally put their resources into recruiting and retaining diverse students and employees — however, there is a third leg of DEI that focuses on supplier diversity. The INSIGHT Into Diversity Jesse L. Moore Supplier Diversity Award, named in honor of longtime advocate and economic development pioneer Jesse L. Moore for his leadership in promoting supplier diversity and the success of minority-owned businesses, is our way of ensuring this critical area of DEI also gets recognized for the important role that it plays,” said Lenore Pearlstein, co-publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity.
A call for nominations for this award was announced in December 2021.
For more information about the INSIGHT Into Diversity Jesse L. Moore 2022 Supplier Diversity Award and INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, visit insightintodiversity.com.