by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:16 AM ET, Fri November 6, 2020
As part of Delta Air Lines diversity efforts, the company's Vice President of Global Cleanliness announced the carrier is seeking minority-owned businesses to support the development of a world-class cleanliness standard.
At the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Conference, Mike Medeiros represented Delta and appealed to business leaders in the areas of surface disinfectants, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence.
Delta cited a recent University of California study that showed over 41 percent of business closures since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have been Black-owned, despite Black companies making up less than three percent of total companies.
"We need your ideas, your creativity, your entrepreneurial spirit," Medeiros said at the NMSDC Conference. "The innovation and resilience that minority-owned businesses bring to the table make you the optimal partners for Delta to build a key area of our business around."
"Supporting diverse suppliers isn't just our social responsibility; it's a smart business strategy that drives results," Medeiros continued.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian also recently highlighted the airline's focus on supporting Black-owned businesses as part of Delta's COVID-19 recovery strategy.
Bastian's commitments to diversity include diversifying Delta's supply chain, requiring bidding and request-for-proposal process to include participation from minority-owned businesses and holding suppliers accountable for anti-racism policies within their organizations.
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