JOIN THE CEO-to-CEO CHALLENGE
In 2020, U.S. small businesses were hit hard due to the pandemic. Data suggest that minority and women-owned small businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, facing higher rates of closures, weaker cash positions, weaker bank relationships, and the preexisting funding gaps left their firms with little cushion entering the crisis: even the healthiest of diverse firms were financially disadvantaged at the onset of COVID-19. These businesses would benefit from targeted training and technical resources to help them weather the economic downturn and strengthen their ability to grow, scale and succeed.
What is the CEO-to CEO Challenge Initiative?
Supplier diversity programs are more important than ever—and the key to strong,
inclusive economic recovery. However, too few companies have proactive and
intentional programs to recruit and support local, minority, woman-owned,
Veteran, LGBTQ+, and historically underutilized businesses. Others don’t know
where to start. And yet, impact driven, and community-minded business leaders
understand that they can’t afford to be left out of this business imperative to
support small diverse businesses.
The CEO-to-CEO Challenge encourages and supports business-to-business
inclusive procurement by making that commitment visible and helping leaders
develop supplier diversity programs.
Why Is This Initiative Important?
- Builds business partnerships in spaces where people may not have thought they could participate
- Create social and economic mobility within our communities
- Promote Kansas City’s regional economic growth and innovation.
What Does It Mean for Your Business?
- Welcome diverse suppliers and invite new opportunities for innovation and partnerships to increase your bottom line.
- Build a more sustainable supplier diversity program with the help of tested best practices shared in the CEO Challenge cohort.
- Leverage your competitive advantage through diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Building your brand by demonstrating your contribution to the vitality of our local business community.
What Does It Mean for the Community?
- Accelerate KC’s entrepreneurial momentum by supporting our new and emerging businesses.
- Create general wealth and a viable, diverse workforce.
- Strength our businesses’ resilience and establish regional dominance.
SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO KANSAS CITY
Join these business leaders and be a part of the first 100 KC leaders to take the pledge.
19 out of 36 corporations signed the pledge and joined the cohort.
- Baker Transport
- Black & Veatch
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
- BNIM
- Burns & McDonnell
- CBIZ
- Centric Network Services
- Children’s Mercy
- Commerce
- Confident Beatdown Cosmetics
- Evergy
- Hallmark
- Henderson Engineering
- Honeywell
- H & R Block
- Husch Blackwell
- Jackson County
- JE Dunn
- Keys Language Center
- Lathrop GPM
- Lead Bank
- LH Consulting Group
- Magnolia Beauty Academy
- McCownGordon
- Metropolitan Community College
- Midwest Farm Security
- MMC Corp
- No Where Consultants
- Paige Technologies
- Propaganda3
- Santitrust
- Shook, Hardy & Bacon
- Spire
- Swope Health
- Turner Construction
- White and Associates Real Estate Company
Take the Pledge
After you sign the pledge, take the next step and join the Challenge Cohort. Contact Mary Shannon, cohort facilitator at info@connectusww.com for more information. Cohort testimonials can be found here: https://bit.ly/46n0iGN
