Kate Kiselyk is the director of Supplier Diversity at Nicor Gas, one of seven natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company. She strives to help people understand that supplier diversity is not just a priority or program – it is a business imperative at Nicor Gas and Southern Company Gas. Kiselyk points to the fact that the company values its relationships, involvement and support of the diverse community as much as it supports safety, the customer experience and earnings. She deeply believes that support from the top down and consistent reinforcement of messaging is how supplier diversity is accepted and understood as an intentional business imperative, rather than a box checked when sourcing.
One of the crucial steps Kiselyk uses to strengthen supplier diversity is to grow sustainable partnerships as an element of the larger supplier diversity strategy. She strives to ingrain business diversity into the company culture and works closely with stakeholders to explore new ways of engaging diverse businesses. Kiselyk is inspired by the need for change in communities and society in which systemic racism, sexism, biases and inequalities grow the economic wealth gap. She sees the bigger picture of supplier diversity as a path to changing lives for the better.