Supplier diversity in Brazilian firms

Abstract

This paper aims to empirically investigate how buying companies in Brazil are implementing volunteered supplier diversity program. This study identified enablers and barriers for such initiatives based on interviews with buyers, suppliers, and third-party organizations based on interviews with companies’ representatives, minorities suppliers and NGOs. Among others, our findings provide evidence that while an organizational culture of diversity and customer-focus motivate organizations, the barriers are mostly related to buyers' profile, lack of a clear guideline, lack of qualified minority suppliers and prejudice.