FM companies on minority shortlist

29 August 2012

Leading Ethnic Minority Businesses (EMBs) and large corporations will be honoured for their achievements as part of an event on 11th October 2012 at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel.

The MSDUK 2012 Awards will recognise achievements of EMBs in the categories of Innovation, Business Growth, and Responsible Business Practices. Corporation of the Year award will be given to a large private sector firm championing supplier diversity. This glittering award ceremony will be hosted by BBC World News presenter George Alagiah.

Minority Supplier Development UK (MSDUK) has been a leading advocate of supplier diversity since 2006 and is affiliated to the US based National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). The organisation works with 36 blue chip companies and connects them with EMB’s.
Mayank Shah, Director of MSDUK said: “Ethnic minorities today form a substantial percentage of the UK population. It is vital therefore that we do not neglect their economic contribution to the local economy. EMBs need to be supported and encouraged in various ways. MSDUK has already secured over £20m worth of business for EMBs.”

Speaking on the MSDUK 2012 Awards, he added: “In this golden year of Olympics, I am sure that recognising some of the most talented entrepreneurs from the ethnic minority communities at this award ceremony will also inspire the next generation from these communities to start business and become wealth creators.”

The awards also honour corporations which work closely with EMB’s; shortlisted businesses this year include ExxonMobil, Cummins and IBM.

Paul King, Global Supplier Diversity Program Manager at IBM said: "It’s a great honour for IBM to be recognised by MSDUK as a finalist for the prestigious 2012 Corporation of the Year award. We recognise the added value that diversity brings to our strategic sourcing model and we have a committed team supporting the program that enables minority owned business opportunities for inclusion into the IBM supply chain."

The nominees for MSDUK 2012 Awards
Innovation:
E-Learning Studios
E-Learning Studios is a leading supplier of eLearning development from building courses, providing authoring tools, learner management systems to hosting. E-Learning Studios are changing the way we learn and train.
Gate Ventures Facilities Services Ltd
Gate Ventures is a leading regional facilities services’ company with services that include mainly a Specialist Food Transport Solution in addition to a range of complimentary services such as Building & Maintenance and Cleaning.
Think Ambient Ltd.
Think Ambient is the exclusive distributor of ClingZ material in the UK and Ireland, selling to the marketing and print industries throughout Europe. Think Ambient’s unique and innovative business model for selling ClingZ, as well as the advancements it has introduced to the application of the material has led the company to become the largest international distributor for ClingZ.

Business Growth:
Gate Ventures Facilities Services Ltd
Gate Ventures is a leading regional facilities services’ company with services that include mainly a Specialist Food Transport Solution in addition to a range of complimentary services such as Building & Maintenance and Cleaning.
Halebury
The Halebury team specialise in employment, commercial and corporate law within the technology, media, telecoms and sports sectors. Operating in a highly competitive sector, with minimal initial funds, and a brand new business model, Halebury has successfully made a positive impact on the legal sector.
Testhouse Ltd
Testhouse is an IT consultancy specialising in Quality Assurance, Software Testing Solutions and Training. Their growth strategy is based on extensive market knowledge and competitor analysis coupled with sound thought leadership in the face of emerging technology.

Responsible Business Practices:
Douglas Wemyss Solicitors LLP
Douglas Wemyss Solicitors is a small law firm based in the city centre of Leicester. Douglas Wemyss Solicitors is actively involved in making a positive contribution to society be that through giving of time, or their solicitors giving of their knowledge and being involved in pro-bono work.
Octavian Security
Octavian provides a comprehensive range of security and cleaning services to leading public and private sector organisations, from manned guarding and mobile patrols to remote CCTV monitoring and general security consultancy. As a security company, Octavian’s business mission is to work towards a crime-free society.
Testhouse
Testhouse is an IT consultancy specialising in Quality Assurance, Software Testing Solutions. They work with educational establishments such as NEBP, LBN and independent charities to raise awareness and help hold fundraising events throughout the year.

Corporation of the Year:
ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil is a global corporation within the energy business. They are committed to developing Minority Supplier within the UK and over the course of 2009-2012 they have developed a corporate plan for assisting MSDUK and developing suppliers.
Cummins
Cummins Corporate Indirect Purchasing has a team of eleven working across Europe and the Middle East. Cummins has a long-standing commitment to creating diversity in the workplace and that effort is matched with an equal commitment to use diverse suppliers for the goods and services they purchase.
IBM
IBM is a global leader in the technology and consulting sectors, with $107B revenue and over 430,000 employees across 170 countries, with 20,000 in the UK. IBM’s supplier diversity program began in the US in 1968 with goals for spend with only minority owned suppliers.