Like many professions, procurement and supply faces an intense talent challenge. One of the ways that it can appeal to a new generation of talent is by demonstrating that procurement and supply is an environment in which everyone can thrive – no matter their gender, race or background.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that unrepresented groups can thrive in procurement and supply. There are exciting initiatives such as Katapult X and Stephen Day’s project to bring disadvantaged youngsters into the profession.
But are these enough? The CIPS Procurement & Salary Guide 2024, in partnership with Hays, suggests that many organisations are not going far enough in prioritising equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I).
The latest salary guide shows a gap between organisations performing well on ED&I and those making it a top priority. In the regions surveyed globally, most respondents agree that their organisations perform strongly for ED&I. But fewer globally say ED&I is a leading focus for their organisation. For example, in the UK, some 73-80% of respondents say their organisation performs strongly for diversity and inclusion. But of that, just 39% say that ED&I is a top priority for their organisation.
Our survey findings show that in the regions performing poorly for prioritising ED&I, we see a higher-than-average gender pay gap – and similarly low levels of gender pay reporting and ethnicity pay gap reporting. In the UK, where it’s mandatory for larger organisations to report on their gender gap, only 37% of companies have a gender pay gap report; even fewer (16%) have an ethnicity pay gap report.
We’ve also found that many organisations have the right measures in place for prioritising ED&I but are often not deploying these measures. For example, in MENA, a staggering 26% of respondents surveyed say their organisations deploy none of the measures available to them for ensuring diverse and inclusive hiring practices. Among European organisations, the number is as high as 20%.
As the professional body for procurement and supply, we’re committed to promoting, supporting, and encouraging ED&I in the profession. And believe that procurement teams that harness ED&I appropriately can be more effective and better performing.
Here are some top ways that procurement and supply teams can be more inclusive.
Recruit for behaviours and competencies, not character traits
Keep your jobs adverts clear and specific by requesting only the specific behaviours and competencies required for a role. Asking for character traits in a job advert can deter both women and ethnic minorities from applying for a role and may limit your talent pool. According to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD): “Women and ethnic minority candidates are more likely to apply for roles where the requirements are expressed as behaviours rather than character traits.” Zoe Brooks, an advocate for ED&I and a former procurement director for Atlantis Resorts, says fair recruitment practices are the way to unlock diverse talent. “Our fair hiring practices at Atlantis led to a great mix of nationalities and industry experiences and brought our team diverse skills and perspectives. This diversity drove our success and made us stronger,” she says.
Remove biased language from your job adverts
Make sure your job adverts are free from identity-based stereotypes. This includes language that is stereotypically masculine (“ambitious”, “hierarchy”, “decisive”) or stereotypically feminine (“compassionate”, “cooperative”, “empathetic”). Jobs adverts that use biased language can set a false expectation of what’s required for a role and have a marginalising effect on the people who apply for it.
Offer flexible working by default
Where possible, advertise roles with flexible working options by default. This includes working from home, compressed hours, and flexitime. Flexible working improves workplace diversity by making jobs more accessible for disabled people, those with caring responsibilities, as well as younger and older workers. Evidence suggest that not offering part-time work (which is mostly undertaken by women), for example, can negatively impact an organisation’s gender pay gap.
Include salaries in job adverts and make them non-negotiable
Publishing salaries or salary ranges in job adverts can help to increase pay equality and pay transparency. According to research, marginalised people are less likely to have connections with existing staff in an organisation who can share information on pay for roles. So, sharing salary information upfront can help to level the playing field. If pay for a role is negotiable and must be so, make sure this is outlined in the job advert and that it doesn’t disproportionally affect minority groups.
Advertise the benefits and policies you offer
Advertising your benefits and policies in your job adverts can help to attract diverse applicants and is great for promoting inclusivity. Certain benefits such as longer parental leave and generous pension contributions are especially good for increasing equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Make the recruitment experience inclusive
Provide candidates with clear information upfront at recruitment stage to ensure the recruitment experience is inclusive. This includes outlining the key recruitment stages for a role in both the job advert and in your communications with candidates. Setting clear expectations for jobs can be especially supportive for those with caring responsibilities or those working unpredictable hours, who may be unable to interview flexibly.
Pair diversity with inclusion
True diversity comes from providing a sense of belonging. Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates, while simultaneously ensuring your existing staff feel listened to, included and heard, can help to provide a sense of belonging in your procurement and supply team. And, by extension, spark both innovation and enthusiasm.
Act on the data your collect
Data collection is easy, but it’s what you do with the data that counts. Use the data you gather on your ED&I efforts to drive positive change in your procurement and supply team. This includes drilling down to detail on specific data and pinpointing areas for improvement.
Make ED&I your day-to-day
Don’t wait for diversity days to improve your ED&I efforts. Relying on these days to show your diversity commitments is performative and tick-boxing and should really be avoided. Instead, take time to build a mindset of ED&I in your team that’s embedded in your daily practices and cultures. AI Salman Hospital in Kuwait achieved just this with its ongoing efforts to cultivate a diverse workforce. “Our efforts have led to increased innovation, improved decision-making, and a stronger sense of belonging among our staff,” says Fares AIMethen, central supply chain manager for AI Salman Hospital.
Empower individuals for lasting change
Lasting change takes collective effort. For ED&I, this means building a culture from the ground up where employees feel valued, heard, and empowered to contribute their unique perspective. “It’s a strategic advantage,” says Fares. Or as Pat Law, an expert in recruitment and talent development puts it, ED&I is not a label; it’s a live, ongoing thing that you have to keep going.