Inclusion & Diversity
inclusive culture & mindset
At Bama, we go beyond understanding and accepting our differences within our Bama Family, our valued customers, and our suppliers. We strive to create a culture of acceptance, active inclusivity, and personal and professional growth opportunities for everyone. Within this culture, we recognize that our differences and similarities alike provide an enriching experience, not only within our workplace, but in the quality of food we make as well.
We are committed to employing the best people to do the best job possible. We recognize the importance of reflecting the diversity of our customers and markets in our workforce. The diversity present in our talented workforce allows Bama to better anticipate and fulfill the needs of our customers, both domestically and internationally. Our commitment to providing high quality products and services is unwavering.
Diversity and Inclusion is a cornerstone of our Organizational Development System and our business processes. We demonstrate this by committing to the following: inclusive talent pipeline practices, equitable talent development, CEO/Leadership commitment to diversity, and supplier diversity practices.
supplier diversity policy & practice
Diversity in our supply chain is one of the many ways we offer a competitive advantage to our customers. This collaboration allows Bama to deliver innovative, quality products, and world-wide, world-class service to an increasingly global marketplace.
As an international company with suppliers ranging from multinational corporations to single-family companies, we continue to advance our efforts in diversifying our suppliers. We engage with local and national organizations committed to the advancement of minority-owned and woman-owned businesses. We encourage our team members to advocate for small businesses and businesses owned by women, minorities or other disadvantaged groups, when pursuing new business. In addition, we cultivate mentorships with leaders of disadvantaged businesses.
Bama recognizes certifications from the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), both Certification I and Certification II, and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. For federal government procurement opportunities, Bama recognizes certifications from the Small Business Administration.
In 1997, we began tracking and reporting how much we spend with minority-owned businesses. We are pleased to report that for 2019 we directed approximately 4.2 percent of our total purchasing expenditures to minority or women-owned businesses.
In addition to recognizing certified diverse suppliers, Bama is also a certified diversity supplier. Bama certifications and memberships include: McDonald’s Women Leadership Network, WNBC, Certification in Enterprise National Council, Committee of C200, and the Women’s Foodservice Forum.
community
We believe in being a strong, corporate, socially-responsible partner in the communities where we live, work and play. We believe a diverse workforce is a strong workforce.
As a result, we are members of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, and the OKEQ Business Alliance.
In addition, we have partnered with many nonprofit agencies, such as YWCA-Tulsa, The Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice, Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Oklahomans for Equality, and Food On The Move.