Keith Eakins is the director of Global Supplier Diversity at WestRock. Armed with years of industry experience and a degree in Logistics and Procurement from Alabama A&M, Eakins has worked diligently to implement a Supplier Diversity Program with WestRock that supports ongoing initiatives to secure contracts with businesses led by women and minorities. As the head of this program, Eakins is involved with each and every step of WestRock’s involvement with diverse suppliers: identifying potential candidates, creating first tier opportunities with new suppliers, and engaging in mentoring and development programs for existing suppliers. Because he is so intimately involved with each step of the process, Eakins knows that organizational buy-in is absolutely crucial to the success of DEI initiatives.
As such, he is committed to leading supplier diversity workshops across the organization, and to educating colleagues and leadership alike on not just the ethical, but the long-term financial benefits of supplier inclusion. A key contact point for supplier diversity both within and outside his organization, Keith Eakins continues to inspire.
Favorite Quote:
“Having the ability to encourage, uplift, influence, and speak life into opportunities for diverse businesses that are trying to prosper and grow and do business with WestRock.” — Keith Eakins