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Economic Inclusion at Penn
Engaging Locally! This is one of the main components of the
Penn Compact, President
Amy Gutmann's vision of the future for Penn. As the largest private employer in
the City of Philadelphia and the second largest private employer in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Penn is using its considerable purchasing and construction
capacity, as well as its academic expertise, to encourage local business growth,
empower diversity and women business owners, provide women and minorities with greater
access to the skilled and higher-paying trades, and create jobs.
Economic Inclusion Plenary Committee
The Economic Inclusion Plenary Committee exists to provide oversight and strategy to
the University in formulating and managing its Economic Inclusion initiative. Three
subcommittees of the committee meet to review and monitor progress made in procurement,
construction and workforce development, and report to the full Plenary Committee on
a quarterly basis. There have been measurable benefits to the neighborhood, city and
region resulting from these initiatives.
In Purchasing Services, results have been driven by a number of
targeted Purchasing Services initiatives designed to expand business and economic
opportunities available to those who live, work and own businesses in the local
community. Last fiscal year alone, Penn purchased more than $85.7 million in products
and services from local community businesses, with $69.9 million from diversity owned
suppliers. That's 12% of total Penn's purchasing dollars directed to local community
businesses and 10% to diversity owned suppliers. And by helping its diversity business
partners acquire eBusiness capability, Purchasing Services is empowering them to compete
more effectively in the Penn Marketplace,
Penn's private supplier exchange. Approximately 20% of marketplace participating
suppliers are diversity owned.
In Facilities & Real Estate Services, local residents have filled
more than half of the jobs created by Penn's retail ventures. Approximately 35% of
all Penn construction jobs have gone to minority and women workers, and 26% of all
contracts have been awarded to minority and women owned businesses. Recently, Penn in
cooperation with the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, created the
Lucien E.
Blackwell Apprenticeship Program to provide skills training opportunities to residents
from West and Southwest Philadelphia.
In Human Resources, works continues on a number of initiatives to
increase diversity in the workforce by increasing access to available administrative
and faculty positions.
Procurement Initiatives
Purchasing Services supports Penn's commitment to economic inclusion by engaging
diversity owned and local community based suppliers in the procurement process at Penn.
With support from senior management, community and political leaders, Purchasing Services
has leveraged the University's buying power, its knowledge assets, resources, and
commitment to socially responsible purchasing to provide business opportunities for
local community based suppliers and job growth among neighborhood residents. Purchasing
Services has succeeded in promoting economic inclusion while meeting its mission to
provide best-in-class buying methods and best price supplier business relationships.
- Supplier Diversity Program
Launched in 1995, this program is deigned to identify business opportunities for
diversity suppliers, on a direct supplier basis or in strategic partnerships with
major regional and national firms, including participation in the Penn Marketplace,
Penn's private online supplier exchange.
- Local Community Business Program
Launched in 1986, this program is designed to pursue business opportunities for
local community businesses, on a direct supplier basis or in strategic partnerships
with major regional and national firms, including participation in the
Penn Marketplace, Penn's private online supplier exchange.
Purchasing Services utilizes local business organizations to provide guidance and
support for procurement related economic inclusion initiatives. Purchasing Services
management and staff members participate in the procurement subcommittee and related
initiatives along with representatives from the following organizations:
Supplier Feedback
The ability to provide required products and services, meet our business and
technology requirements, and support and service a large and decentralized purchasing
environment, are critical success factors for suppliers interested in establishing a
successful business relationship with Penn. We welcome
feedback and suggestions from
potential suppliers and existing business partners on how we may improve our economic
inclusion program. Please direct questions related to this Purchasing Services
initiative to Ralph Maier, Chief Procurement
Officer.
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