Buying For Impact: How to Buy From Women and Change Our World

by Elizabeth A. Vazquez, Andrew J. Sherman

Overview

Whether you're a woman who wants to grow your business or you're wondering how to leverage and support this growing market, BUYING FOR IMPACT How to Buy from Women and Change Our World has the answers you need now.

The ultimate guide to doing business with millions of entrepreneurial women around the world.

The shape of the planet's marketplace has been changed completely by forces of political and demographic change. Where once women were sidelined in the global marketplace, now they are at the heart of it all. In places as remote as Bangladesh and Mali and as familiar and Paris and New York, businesses owned and managed by women are carving out a vibrant and thriving place in the 21st-century economy.

In this book, you'll find all that you need to know to understand how this hidden market works, not only for women in business, but for everyone. Above all, you'll learn more about how to foster its growth for a more sustainable future. Whether you're a woman who wants to grow your business or your wondering how to leverage this growing market, BUYING FOR IMPACT, How to Buy from Women and Change Our World has the answers you need now.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599323527
Publisher:	Advantage Media Group, Inc.
Publication date:	02/20/2013
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

ELIZABETH A. VAZQUEZ is the President, CEO and Co-Founder of WEConnect International, a corporate-led nonprofi t that helps to empower women business owners to succeed in global markets. She is a serial social entrepreneur and world leader in global supplier diversity and inclusion. Ms. Vazquez was born in Mexico and has a master of arts degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, where she studied development economics and international negotiation as a Woodrow Wilson fellow. She also completed graduate seminars at Harvard Law School and the Kennedy School of Government, the Heinz School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University, and Sookmyung Women’s University in South Korea.

ANDREW J. SHERMAN is a partner in the Washington, DC, office of Seyfarth Shaw and is a top-rated adjunct professor in the MBA and Executive MBA programs at the University of Maryland and Georgetown Law School. Andrew is frequently called upon by the media to share his expertise and has been featured or quoted in reputable outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, Business Week, Fortune, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, he has authored the following books: Harvesting Intangible Assets: Uncover Hidden Revenue in Your Company’s Intellectual Property; Mergers and Acquisitions from A to Z; Raising Capital; Franchising & Licensing; and Essays on Governance.

Table of Contents

acknowledgments 7

foreword Melanne S. Verveer 9

Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues U.S. Department of State

prologue Joan N. Kerr 15

Founding Co-Chair Weconnect International

Chapter 1 The Power of Women 29

What we Know About Women in the Economy Today

Women Investing in Women

The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion

True Organizational Diversity

Diversity, Leadership, and Governance

Women-Owned Businesses as a Development Opportunity

Supplier Diversity And Inclusion Model

Best Practices in Supplier Diversity and Inclusion

Social Media, Transparency, and the Roll of the Consumer

Chapter 2 The Potential of Women Business Owners 51

Growing a Business is Challenging

Activity and Attitudes

Challenges to Growth

Growth Potential

Resources for Growth

Self-Registered Women-Owned Businesses

Certified Women's Business Enterprises

How to Leverage a Global Network

Pioneering Women Business Owners

Fair-Trade Distributors

Women in Trade

Chapter 3 Creating Shared Value through Supplier Diversity and Inclusion 73

Creating Shared Value

Conscious Capitalism

Supplier Diversity and Inclusion

Engaging the Entire Value Chain

Working at the Base of the Pyramid

SEWA Case Study Results

Global Banking Alliance for Women

Clinton Global Initiative

Chapter 4 The Power of Corporations as Buyers 91

Size of the Corporate Market

The Business Case

How Inclusive Buyers are Influencing Suppliers

Supplier Diversity Excellence

Engaging the Best Suppliers at IBM

Leadership from the Top at the Boeing Company

Sourcing Policy at Marriott International

Outreach and Engagement at Cisco Systems

Strategic Planning at Cummins

Capacity Development at the Hewlett-Packard Company

Internal Communications at Johnson & Johnson

Promoting Best Practices at Intel

Measurement, Tracking, and Reporting at AT&T

Capturing the Data and Rewarding Success at Divershyinc

Chapter 5 The Power of Corporations as Catalysts 115

Women's Economic Empowerment at Wal-Mart Stores, INC. (Walmart)

Skills to Succeed at Accenture

Promoting Winning Women at Ernst & Young

Educating Women Business Owners at Goldman Sachs

5 by 20 at the Coca-Cola Company

Supplier Development at Microsoft

Foundation Leadership at ExxonMobil

Power of Data at Dun & Bradstreet

Chapter 6 The Power of Governments 135

Size of the Government Market

Why Governments Should Leverage Public Purchasing Power

Why Women Should Sell to Governments

Challenges with Mainstreaming Gender into Procurement Policies and Practices

Opportunities for Inclusive Sourcing

National Case Studies

How to Set Government Policies and Goals and Track and Measure Results

Integration of Procurement Planning, Budgeting, and Contracting

Building an Inclusive Supplier Management System

Implementing a Human Resources Development Plan

Developing Policies and Procedures for Public-Private Partnerships

Promoting Socially and Environmentally Sustainable Procurement

Staff Training and Management

U.S. Government Commitment to Women's Empowerment

The Power of Public-Private Partnerships

Chapter 7 The Power of the Development Community 175

Size of the Development Market

Designing for Impact

The Role of Capitalism in Economic Development

Why Development Organizations Must Focus on Inclusive Sourcing

What Donor Agencies Can do to Promote Inclusive Sourcing

What Multilaterals Can do to Promote Inclusive Sourcing

UN Global Compact

International Trade Centre

Multilateral and Government Collaboration

World Bank Group

International Finance Corporation

Inter-American Development Bank

What Non-Governmental Organizations Can do to Promote Inclusive Sourcing

Chapter 8 Positioning Your Company for Sustainable Growth 205

The Role Your Business Plan Plays

The Mechanics of Preparing a Business Plan

Mentors, Coaches and Champions

Building a Foundation for Growth

Business Growth Planning

Common Traits of Successful Growth Companies

Getting Ready for Growth

Self-Evaluation

Chapter 9 How to Grow a Women's Business Enterprise 229

Harvesting Intangible Assets

Balance Sheets: An Archaic Measure of a Company's True Intrinsic Value

Challenges for Women Business Leaders of Growing Companies

Building a Genuine Culture of Innovation

Raising Capital for Growth

Sources of Debt Financing

Sources of Equity Capital

How Much Money do You Really Need?

Consider Staged Investment

Capital-Formation Strategies

The Art and Science of Bootstrapping

Why are Women-Owned Firms Smaller than Men-Owned Firms?

Chapter 10 Call to Action 251

Five Action Steps to Leverage Your Purchasing Power

Five Action Steps to Sell More as a Woman Business Owner

about the authors 259

appendix About WEConnect International

Editorial Reviews

"In this age of participation, companies and governments are investing in women as a fundamental business and economic growth strategy. We can all work to enhance the power of women's economic inclusion, whether we create a network of committed resources and expertise to tackle regional issues or leverage supply chains to expand market opportunities for women entrepreneurs. This book shares an astonishing collection of innovative applicable practices that companies, governments, and women entrepreneurs can take to decrease barriers and increase opportunities to expand women's economic participation, ultimately allowing women to grow their incomes and contribute to the well-being of their families and all of society."
– From the Foreword by Melanne S. Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, U.S. Department of State

From the Publisher