American Express is committed to developing mutually advantageous business relationships with small businesses and firms owned and operated by minorities, women and the physically challenged. We seek the best valued, highest quality products and services by encouraging competition among all suppliers.
Each year, American Express purchases a broad range of products and services from diverse businesses. Suppliers who do business with American Express are expected to demonstrate their commitment to diversity through a plan or program established within their own business operations that quantitatively measures their purchases of goods and services from minority, women-owned, physically challenged and small businesses. American Express acknowledges and offers opportunities to those majority suppliers who assist American Express' diversity policy by utilizing second-tier diverse suppliers.
Our efforts benefit our customers, shareholders and the communities in which we live and work.
- Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
American Express seeks the highest quality, value and service, at the best cost, from all of our suppliers; value that consists of competitive pricing, technological foresight, information management, and continuous and proactive support of products and services.
We are committed to actively seeking goods and services from minority, women, physically challenged and small businesses. We strive to enhance our supplier base to reflect the markets we service.
American Express defines diverse businesses as minority, women, physically challenged or small businesses meeting the following criteria:
minority businesses
Minority business enterprises (MBE?s) are defined as businesses that are at least 51% owned and operated by a minority individual or group. Under this definition, minority group members include African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans (i.e. American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians), and Polynesian Americans. Also included are multi-ethnic businesses, where no one specific group has a 51% ownership or control of the business but, in aggregate, the groups exceed the 51% rule.
women businesses
Women business enterprises (WBE?s) are defined as businesses that are at least 51% owned and operated by one or more women.
physically challenged businesses
To qualify as a physically challenged business (DBE) an enterprise must be either: A) at least 51% owned by one or more physically challenged individuals, B) a subsidiary that is wholly owned by a parent corporation with at least 51% of the parent corporation voting stock owned by one or more physically challenged individuals, or C) a joint venture in which at least 51% of the management, control and earnings are held by one or more physically challenged individuals.
small businesses
Small businesses are defined as concerns that have a number of employees and/or average annual receipts not exceeding the size standards as defined under the Federal Acquisitions Regulations.
American Express has a strong commitment to diversity within the workplace, as well as in our Customer and Supplier base. As a company, we have created councils to educate employees and processes, which enhance our involvement with diverse companies.
To further strengthen this commitment, American Express Global Procurement manages the Supplier Diversity Program, which is tasked to provide opportunities for minority, women, physically challenged and small businesses. This initiative looks to these suppliers for the same high level of quality and services, competitive pricing, technological foresight, and continuous proactive support as we do with all our majority suppliers. We request that our majority suppliers actively participate in our Supplier Diversity initiative by seeking tier two relationships with, and committing a percentage of expenditures to, minority, women, physically challenged and small businesses. This participation demonstrates added value on the part of our majority suppliers.
