784: Real Talk about Supplier Diversity in 2025 W/ Kelly Barner and Philip Ideson

“For anybody in procurement that’s ever uttered the phrase ‘seat at the table,’ it’s not always a comfy seat. This is one of those moments where, if we want to be a part of the leadership discussion on the directional momentum of the company, we have to find the way, find the person, and find the time to have this conversation about supplier diversity.” - Kelly Barner, Co-founder and Head of Operations at Art of Procurement

Is this the end of supplier diversity as we’ve known it? As the political and economic landscape continues to evolve, many supplier diversity programs are facing unprecedented scrutiny and rollbacks, forcing procurement to confront sensitive organizational shifts and rapid changes in corporate priorities and communications. 

While no one can be sure exactly what the future looks like for supplier diversity, it’s clear that procurement teams and business leaders have reached a critical inflection point.

In this special episode, Art of Procurement co-founders Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner have what will likely be the first of many conversations about how procurement can approach these changes thoughtfully, maintain focus on their core values, and lead the business through important conversations during this period of intense transition. 

In this episode, Philip and Kelly discuss: 

• The current state of supplier diversity and its disappearing act across organizations 
• How understanding the original “why” behind supplier diversity programs is crucial for determining how to proceed
• Practical advice on how procurement can have productive internal conversations with leadership while also maintaining strong supplier relationships

Links:

• Subscribe to This Week in Procurement
• Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube
• Diversity Goals are Disappearing from Companies’ Annual Reports