Ford Motor Company Honored with Two Awards from Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council

• Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council recognizes Ford as Corporation of the Year; Ford Supplier Diversity Development program director honored for individual achievements

• This is the fourth consecutive time Ford has won Corporation of the Year – underscoring the company’s ongoing commitment to minority- and women-owned businesses

• Ford aims to source at least 10 percent of U.S. purchases from minority- and women-owned businesses

Ford Motor Company has been named Corporation of the Year by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC). Ford was honored for its excellence and commitment to working with and helping to develop and mentor minority business enterprises. This is the fourth year in a row Ford has been honored as Corporation of the Year.

Additionally, Carla Traci Preston, director of Ford’s Supplier Diversity Development program, was honored for individual achievements in supplier diversity.

In 2012, Ford exceeded its sourcing goals by purchasing $5.7 billion in goods and services from minority-owned suppliers and $1.2 billion in goods and services from women-owned suppliers. Last year, Ford’s Tier 1 suppliers sourced $2.1 billion with Tier 2 minority- and women-owned companies.

“This win clearly underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to develop and grow its minority- and women-owned suppliers,” said Hau Thai-Tang, group vice president, global purchasing, Ford Motor Company. “As a company, it’s critical we continue to integrate supplier diversity into our sourcing process so that we remain highly competitive, innovative and sustainable.”

Preston, honored for her individual achievements to supplier diversity, received the Jethro Joseph Advocate of the Year award. This award is presented annually to an individual who is not a buyer, but still symbolizes through his or her actions the spirit and intent of supplier diversity in minority economic development.

“Ford Motor Company continues to be a leader when it comes to minority- and women-owned businesses,” said Louis Green, CEO, MMSDC. “Ford’s dedication and commitment to develop and maintain a diverse supplier base was established decades ago and will continue for decades to come.”

2013 marks the 35^th anniversary of Ford’s Supplier Diversity Development program. Since 1978, Ford has spent $67 billion with more than 400 minority suppliers. Ford launched the program to deliver support to minority- and women-owned businesses, to create business opportunities for diverse suppliers to grow into profitable enterprises, and to further strengthen a Ford supplier network base that reflects the company’s work force and customer base.

“Because we live in a diverse world, it’s imperative we team up with the very best minority- and women-owned companies that reflect society’s landscape,” said Burt Jordan, vice president, Ford global vehicle and powertrain purchasing and supplier diversity. “Our diverse supplier base allows us to deliver great and innovative products and services that our customers around the world want and deserve.”

The Corporation of the Year award honors companies that actively include certified minority suppliers in their procurement opportunities. These companies assist in the development of minority suppliers, and promote supplier diversity within their organizations. They encourage other vendors and business partners to take an interest in supplier diversity, too.

In the automotive OEM category, the winner of the Corporation of the Year award must distinguish itself in a very competitive field. The selection criteria the committee uses include minority spend, mentoring, minority supplier development and other services that create sustainable growth of minority business enterprises.

For more information on MMSDC, please visit www.mmbdc.com. For information on the National Minority Supplier Development Council, go to www.nmsdc.org.