FCA US Leads Charge in Automotive Supplier Diversity at 20th Annual MatchMaker Event

News provided by

Sep 12, 2019, 14:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

"Collaborative Growth Initiative" created by FCA US and Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) to support economic growth for minority-owned businesses
Detroit-based businesses attended custom events developed to help strengthen relationships and build their businesses
More than $3.5 billion generated in new business opportunities for MatchMaker exhibitors since inception in 1999

FCA celebrated its industry-leading commitment to supplier diversity at its 20th annual MatchMaker event through a series of high-impact engagements with more than 250 minority, women, veteran and LGBT-owned businesses. More than $3.5 billion in new business opportunities has been generated since 1999 at MatchMaker.

FCA US today celebrated its industry-leading commitment to supplier diversity at the 20th annual MatchMaker event through a series of high-impact engagements with more than 250 minority-, women-, veteran- and LGBT-owned businesses.

"As we mark 20 years of MatchMaker, we're also pioneering a new supplier diversity initiative to ensure inclusion and opportunity are available to everyone," said Scott Thiele, Head of Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, FCA - North America and Vice Chair of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC). "Together with the MMSDC, I'm proud to help lead a program that is advocating for minority-owned businesses and growing a stronger pipeline of companies who can meet current and future supply chain needs."

Launched in 2019, the MMSDC "Collaborative Growth Initiative" includes nine automakers and suppliers working together with 18 minority-owned businesses to define, measure and facilitate sustainable sourcing opportunities in the indirect/non-production commodity space. The goal is to ensure strategic business growth.

During the two-day MatchMaker program, FCA US offered free business seminars where Google, Alderney Advisors and supplier.io covered topics such as social media marketing, developing long-term financial strategies, working with customs organizations and refining reporting practices. Business resource group, Women's Alliance, hosted the second annual "W2W Mixer" where women-owned businesses networked with the top female leadership at FCA US.

FCA US also welcomed business leaders from the east side of Detroit as part of the Company's commitment to help build a more vibrant future for the community where the first new assembly plant in the city of Detroit will be built in nearly 30 years.

Since 1983, the Company has purchased nearly $80 billion from minority-, women- and veteran-owned suppliers. FCA US spent $9 billion with more than 300 diverse suppliers in 2018.

FCA US supplier diversity goals require that up to 8.5 percent of a tier-one supplier's buy be sourced to certified minority-owned businesses, three percent sourced with women-owned businesses and one percent sourced with veteran-owned businesses. The Company provides advocacy and consulting services to certified LGBT-owned and disability-owned suppliers.

In 2018, FCA US received the following honors for its supplier diversity efforts:

Best Tier II Program from the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council
Corporation of the Year from the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Best-in-Class for Excellence in Supplier Diversity from the Great Lakes Women Business Council
Top Corporation Gold from the Women's Business Enterprise National Council
Advocate of the Year from the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

The Company recently earned meaningful acknowledgement of its diversity leadership when the editors of the respected DiversityInc magazine named FCA US to the magazine's 2019 list of "Noteworthy Companies for Diversity" for the 11th year and to the list of "Top Companies for Veterans" for the third year in a row.

About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The Company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler Corp., established in 1925 by industry visionary Walter P. Chrysler and Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA).

FCA is an international automotive group listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."

Follow FCA US news and video on:
Company blog: blog.fcanorthamerica.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA
Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA
Twitter (Spanish): www.twitter.com/fcausespanol
YouTube: www.youtube.com/fcanorthamerica
Media website: media.fcanorthamerica.com