Supplier diversity

We want to work with a variety of suppliers who represent the people and communities we serve.

We want to work with suppliers who represent the people and communities we serve. This means working with a variety of businesses and organizations including those owned by women, people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups.

Working with diverse suppliers helps us to be more inclusive, innovative and creative. It also helps to make our supply chain stronger, more resilient and more sustainable. By working with suppliers from different backgrounds, we can create a fairer and more equitable world.

Supplier diversity is an important part of UNOPS plan for sourcing goods and services (including works). It encourages fairness, inclusion and ethical practices while helping to achieve the SDGs 5, 8. 10, and 17.

Here is a breakdown of how we define the different supplier groups identified under supplier diversity:

Micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs):

Micro: 1-10 employees
Small: 11-50 employees
Medium: 51-250 employees

Businesses and organizations that are at least 51 per cent owned and managed by one or more people from a specific group:

Women-owned
Youth-owned – founders must be between 18 and 30 years old
People with disabilities

Disability-inclusive suppliers ensure that their premises are accessible to everyone and that their products or services do not create any barriers or challenges for people with disabilities. This can be shown through:

Introducing a policy for including people with disabilities in your workplace
Hiring people with disabilities
Making your workplace accessible
Working with suppliers who are inclusive of people with disabilities
Designing products and services that everyone can use

Gender-responsive organizations proactively promote women's empowerment and gender equality through:

Making sure there is equal opportunity for women and men when:
- Recruiting and hiring
- Considering promotions
- Making leadership appointments
Ensuring equal pay and a fair workplace
Working with women-owned suppliers
Ensuring safety, protection and comfortable facilities for all team members

Groups of people who face barriers and discrimination, and who are often treated unfairly:

Indigenous and other traditional groups
People of Afro-descent
LGBTQI+ community
Veterans
Refugees and migrants

If you have any queries about these definitions, please get in touch with our Sustainable Supply Chains team via sustainable.procurement@unops.org.

Resources

A guide to implementing gender-responsive actions in your organization

Top 10 tools for building gender equality into your organization

Tips to incorporate disability inclusion into your bid

A guide to becoming a disability-inclusive business or organization

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Here is a breakdown of how we define the different supplier groups identified under supplier diversity: