IN PROCUREMENT
IS A SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE
In allowing diversity to flourish in the procurement sector , the workforce is more efficient and competition is high
WRITTEN BY : HELEN ADAMS
Diversity in procurement looks much the same as it does in any other sector : a range of people with different skill sets , contacts and life experiences , which when put together , make an impenetrable foundation .
If everyone thinks the same way , has been educated in the same institutions , has completed the same internships , knows the same people , culture and language - blind spots are not covered , errors gape and clients are misunderstood . Ensuring an organisation is structured to accommodate diversity strengthens global businesses against competition .
There are many different forms of diversity and most can be broken down into two groups : internal and external diversity . Internal diversity covers the components of one person which they do not choose , such as :
• Race and ethnicity
• Age
• Ability ( physical or mental )
Externally diverse aspects are things a person can change about themselves , but which are certainly swayed by other people :
• Their level of education and personal interests
• Their physical appearance
• Religious beliefs
• Marital or relationship status
There can be disadvantages to diversity . For example , in a practice known as tokenism , a business may choose to hire a person simply because they are different from the majority
92 November 2021