2023 Top 15 Chief Procurement Officers Innovate to Shakeup Status Quo

James Bos Focuses on Strategies to Scale Supplier Diversity at Yanfeng


James G. Bos is the Vice President, Global Procurement at Yanfeng Automotive Interiors. He led the growth of supplier diversity through a joint venture with Johnson Controls, leading to Yanfeng becoming a wholly-owned entity. He has continued to strengthen Supplier Diversity after receiving a Level 5: Best Practice Rating from the Global Diversity Industry Benchmark Assessment. James focuses on ensuring the global procurement organization places emphasis and sustainable strategy on supplier diversity that can scale with business growth.


To ensure progress, the Supplier Diversity process has established a goal-setting mechanism that is tracked and reported at the monthly global Procurement Operations Meeting. The Supplier Diversity Spend Goal is included in the Key Performance Indicators and tied to annual incentive bonuses and compensation. The Supplier Diversity group meets annually with representatives of the Business Unit to review past performance and develop strategies to exceed Executive Operating Team commitments. James uses this opportunity to plan engagement strategies for utilizing more MBEs. He led Yanfeng’s 3-year commitment to participate in the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council’s “Campaign for Inclusive Growth.”


  • Favorite Quote: Supplier Diversity strengthens our Supply Chain through diverse owned businesses with highly dedicated entrepreneurial owners, expanded diversity of thought in product and process, and creates improved overall economic results. Supplier Diversity is a structural element in the framework of our sourcing process. –James Bos