Supplier Diversity
Supplier Diversity
Contact Supplier DiversityAt Milliken, we believe a diverse and inclusive supplier program benefits all stakeholders. We encourage diversity and inclusion when making supplier selections. Milliken awards business to the best supplier based on integrity, value, quality, risk, sustainability, and price.
Recognized supplier diversity categories are further described here. To be designated as a diverse supplier, a supplier can self-certify by completing the certification form. Once submitted it will be reviewed by our internal team and entered into our database. If selected to participate in a bid event, a Milliken Sourcing professional may reach out for additional information. Milliken annually audits aspects of our Supplier Diversity Policy Statement. Providing a supplier diversity certification does not guarantee business nor does it assure companies as a preferred supplier status. Milliken suppliers must meet all other Milliken requirements, including accepting our Supplier Code of Conduct.
Our Commitment to Supplier Diversity
Join Our Supplier Mentorship Program
- Created to help suppliers bridge the gap to growth
- Includes educational opportunities
- Benefits of participating:
- Free education
- Networking
- Participants in the program will receive advance notice when bid opportunities become available.
(scroll down near bottom of webpage to find full schedule and sign up links for all events)
milliken supplier diversity award
Dionne Sandiford from Corporate Stitch was awarded the Supplier Diversity award for 2023. Corporate Stitch was a premier partner at the Milliken Momentum event held in May. To learn more about this company, please visit their website by clicking here.
Our second annual Supplier Recognition Luncheon was held on November 13, 2023. Five awards were presented during this event to Scheutz, Bionmic, ICL, Estes, and Corporate Stitch. Congratulations to our winners!
“I represent the small business owner, woman owned businesses, minority owned businesses that want a seat at the table with big companies. Thank you to Milliken for seeing the importance of DEI and continuing to support it. It can be a game changer for a small business.”
– Dionne Sandiford, Corporate Stitch
past winners
Embark Business Solutions, LLC was awarded the Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program Award for 2022.
Our first annual Supplier Recognition Luncheon was held on November 15, 2022. Four awards were presented during this event to Grainger, Picanol, Lift One, and Embark Business Solutions, LLC. Congratulations to our winners!
Supplier Reporting
Tier I Definition and Reporting
- Tier I suppliers, also known as Prime Suppliers, are those businesses that directly sell products and/or services to Milliken & Company
- Milliken & Company designates specific coding protocols to prime suppliers in our ERP system to indicate their specific diversity category
- Reporting is extracted on a quarterly basis
Tier II Definition and Reporting
- Tier II suppliers constitute the second layer of our supply base and refer to those companies that provide products and/or services to our prime suppliers
- Milliken & Company collects Tier II information via a custom form
- Milliken & Company accepts indirect and direct spending for Tier II diverse suppliers. This allows us consistency across our program and offers the best method of tracking our diverse spend dollars with our prime suppliers Indirect Method: To calculate the Tier II spend by prorating the prime supplier's company-wide diverse spend with the percentage of its total business represented by the customer company's business. For example, if the prime supplier spends $100 million annually with diverse suppliers and a particular customer represents 1% of its total business, the Tier II spend would be $1 million ($100 million x 1%). Direct Method: To engage diverse suppliers directly on Milliken & Company contract and report the amount paid to these specific suppliers therefore, each Tier II dollar can be traced back to a specific diverse supplier and to a specific project.
- Reporting is collected on a quarterly basis
If you are currently a PRIME supplier partner to Milliken & Company, please use the link below to submit your Tier II spending information.
Milliken Tier II Diversity Reporting Template
Milliken believes diversity is key to our success. Having a broad and inclusive supplier network enables us to better understand the needs of our customers, tap into new ideas that add value to our business, and upholds our values. Supplier Diversity matters, and Milliken continues to demonstrate our commitment to small and diverse-owned companies by hosting the annual Milliken Momentum Supplier Diversity Conference. This annual event brings together Milliken buyers, our customers, Tier 1 suppliers and partner organizations to engage with small and diverse-owned companies to educate, network, and build opportunities.
Save the Date for the 2025 Milliken Momentum Supplier
Diversity event which will be held on May 21, 2025 at the Roger Milliken Center
in Spartanburg, SC.
| DATE | EVENT | LOCATION | DESCRIPTION | LINK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 16 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Benchmarking (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
Jan 16
|
| February 5-7 | National Small Business Conference | Atlanta, GA | A premier supplier diversity networking event for small businesses. | Feb 5-7
|
| February 20 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Strategic Planning (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
Feb 20
|
| March 12 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Digital Marketing (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
|
| March 19-22 | WBENC National Conference | Denver, CO | The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) provides the most relied upon certification for women-owned businesses and the tools to help them succeed. | March 19-22
|
| April | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Small Business Tax Workshop hosted by SBDC | TBD |
| May 22 | Milliken Momentum Supplier Diversity Matchmaking Event | Spartanburg, SC | Second annual event to bring together diverse businesses and Milliken's Tier 1 supply base. | TBD |
| June 12 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Unconscious Bias (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
June 12
|
| July 9 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Certifications & Capability Statements (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
July 9
|
| July 15-18 | Disability: IN | Las Vegas, NV | Disability:IN is the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. Our network of over 400 corporations expands opportunities for people with disabilities across enterprises. Our central office and 25 Affiliates serve as the collective voice to effect change for people with disabilities in business. | July 15-18
|
| July 30-August 2 | NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference | Palm Springs, CA | This globally recognized conference is the largest LGBTQ business event on the planet. The NGLCC Conference delivers innovative leadership programming as well as networking and engagement opportunities for more than 2,000 LGBTQ and allied business leaders. Cutting-edge educational programs include inspiring keynote speakers, the annual B2B Boot Camp for Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) suppliers, a local chamber development track, Marketplace Expo, one-on-one Matchmaker meetings between suppliers and Fortune 500 companies. | July 30 - Aug 2
|
| August 5-6 | CVMSDC BOC (Business Opportunity Conference) | Virginia Beach, VA | Annual conference for minority owned businesses to maximize sales opportunities, match with major corporations, engage with thought leaders & minority mentors. |
Jan 16
|
| August 14 | GWBC POP (Power of Partnering) Event, Hosted by Milliken | Spartanburg, SC | Join us at Milliken in Spartanburg, South Carolina on August 14 for our second Power of Partnering (POP) event this year, featuring Annie Caggiano, Director of Global Business Development for the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Following the keynote, we will have an engaging reaction panel of esteemed South Carolina leaders. You do not have to be a certified WBE to attend this event. |
Jan 16
|
| August 15 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Google Tools (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
Aug 15
|
| August 29 | BMW Supplier Diversity Xchange | Greenville, SC | BMW’s nationally recognized Supplier Diversity event. Bridging the gap and driving innovation through educational seminars and intentional networking. | Jan 16
|
| September 5 | Opportunities 2024 | Greenville, SC | SC SBDC is hosting in partnership with the NC SBTDC an event called "Opportunities 2024" This is put on every 2 years, and this is the first time we are hosting it in SC. | Jan 16
|
| September 12 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Legal (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
Sept 12
|
| October 16 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Unconscious Bias (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
October 16
|
| October 20-23 | NMSDC Conference & Exchange | Atlanta, GA | "Every year NMSDC host conferences and networking events which attract more than six thousand participants. This conference includes four days in New Orleans turning ideas into action. 50 years of building momentum for economic equity. $1 trillion impact in our sights." | October 20-23
|
| November 14 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Cyber Security
(9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
November 14
|
| December 11 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Sustainability (9 AM - 11 AM EST) |
Dec 11
|
Our Current Partners
