Helping diverse suppliers develop, grow and achieve sustainability is ingrained in the Ford culture. Suppliers are considered partners and gain access to a wealth of information and assets needed for success.

Economic power is generated by the strength and sustainability of the businesses participating, explaining Ford Motor Company's emphasis on building successful, strategic alliances with qualified, diverse suppliers.

Carla Preston, director of supplier diversity development shared some valuable insights into how supplier diversity supports the company's brand promise to source at least ten percent of its business with minority and women-owned business. Ford is a leader in supplier diversity, starting groundbreaking initiatives as far back as 25 years ago. That leadership position continues today.

"The program's uniqueness is not found in the number of suppliers we have in our supplier base because we already have over 400 quality minority, w...