Minority council calls Johnson Controls a Corporation of the Year

Johnson Controls, with facilities in Battle Creek, has been recognized by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) for its outstanding achievements developing diverse suppliers.

Johnson Controls has been named a Corporation of the Year by the MMSDC as it has 11 of the past 15 years.

“Diversity is a key part of Johnson Controls’ corporate mission and values,” says Beda Bolzenius, vice president and president, Automotive Experience for Johnson Controls

The company is a member of the “Billion Dollar Roundtable,” which includes just 17 companies that spend $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers in more than 50 purchasing categories.

Johnson Controls has identified “diversity business development” as a key component of its strategic business plan.

It purchases from diverse suppliers, including those majority-owned by minorities and women. It has adopted web-based systems to provide business opportunities for diverse suppliers, measure performance, and promote diversity-oriented business solutions to customers. The company also requires its vendors to develop and implement their own diversity business development programs. It also includes diverse suppliers in lead supplier arrangements, joint ventures and strategic alliances.

The company sponsors educational fellowships for officials from minority-owned companies and has a special mentoring and training process for corporations and diverse suppliers.

MMSDC, a voluntary organization with more than 1,700 members, creates links between major corporations and minority businesses, and certifies that suppliers are minority-owned.

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in over 150 countries.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Beda Bolzenius, Johnson Controls