3 Inclusive Principles that Help B2B Service Providers Be Fair to Themselves and to Others

Organisations present Diversity and Inclusion criteria as standards for a fair workplace. However, too often they are used to waste the time and resources of growing Business to Business service providers.

Large organisations have elaborate “Diversity” requirements for working with them that may include: 

• Workforce demographics to ensure you are promoting Diversity in your own operations
• Supplier “Diversity” statistics to demonstrate commitment in your own supply chain
• Policies and practices to show your efforts to fight discrimination

This make sense when dealing with a Fortune 500 company but can be prohibitive for a practice with 3 people.

My small business almost failed before it got started because of a large client.

A FTSE 100 organisation took 9 months to pay me for work I had already completed.

They changed the terms and conditions AFTER I did the work.

The work: helping them with their Inclusion Strategy.

I want you to avoid this in your business.

Some Principles to Ensure Fairness for Yourself and Others

1) Judge Them By Their Practices

Don't just take an organisation's rhetoric about Inclusion at face value.

Make sure they treat you fairly and equitably before agreeing to work with them.

Check out the way they manage their relationships with suppliers, their payment terms, and how they conduct themselves in their day to day operations.

Remember that actions speak louder than words.

2) Make Sure They Meet The Standards They Set

Large organisations often have elaborate Diversity and Inclusion requirements for their suppliers, but not all of them are able to meet these standards themselves.

Don't let double standards go unnoticed.

Hold them accountable for their own practices before agreeing to meet their requirements.

3) Check They Are Fit For Shared Purpose

Before entering into a partnership with an organisation, assess whether they are the right fit for your business.

Consider other factors such as their size, values, and goals.

Understand if they have the capacity to handle the work you need.

This will help ensure a mutually beneficial relationship and reduce the risk of any misunderstandings or conflicts down the line.

By following these Inclusive principles, B2B service providers can ensure fairness for themselves and their clients.

Diversity and Inclusion don’t have to be buzzwords, they can be essential values reflected in everyone's actions and practices.

---

Join the Mindful Professionals Network to meet other self-aware professionals interested in discussing and practicing ways to mindfully integrate this article's topics and various other themes into our personal and professional lives.

Guest Article Columnist: Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey, world-renowned authority on Evidence-Based Inclusion, has helped brands like Sony and Meta. His expertise has been featured in media outlets like the FT and BBC. Host of The Element of Inclusion podcast, he is on a mission to help a million people make their workplaces inclusive.

For more insights like this check out The Element of Inclusion Book Insights

#diversity #equity #inclusion #belonging #justice #dei #jedi #deib