SDI’s Diverse Business Partnerships Drive Exponential MBE Participation and Growth
CHICAGO, October 22, 2020 – IT consultancy and managed services provider (MSP) SDI Presence LLC (SDI) announces that it has spent $16M this year with its diverse partners, and is forecasted to reach $22M by the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The minority spend achievement is part of the MBE-certified firm’s commitment to Chicago United’s Five Forward initiative™, which itself is a component of SDI’s larger Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) programming.
“As corporate America looks to play a meaningful role in addressing social inequities, organizations are reassessing their existing, traditional supplier diversity programming. Simply including diverse suppliers within procurement programs short-changes the economic impact potential,” states SDI CEO David A. Gupta. “SDI’s approach to MBE partnering centers on a focused spend and strategic scope of project work with our partners, to drive profitable revenue and fuel growth in an area that is in alignment with our MBE partners’ strategic intent.”
MBE-certified Sierra Public Safety Group, a Chicago-based technology integration and security services provider, has partnered with SDI on long-term managed services projects for several marquee public safety clients. The firm’s revenue growth increased by 64% during the past year, at an above-average margin. “SDI has provided Sierra with the opportunity to own significant scope at a significant client,” states CEO Jose Sierra. “We are leveraging the gained revenue, additional gained skillset, and expanded resume to drive growth into new clients.”
“With over 30 diverse partners in our supply chain, SDI peer MBE partners are both proven performers and hold like cultural and diversity perspectives as SDI,” states Chief Experience Officer Cecelia Bolden who heads SDI’s DE&I program. “Our MBE partner relationships involve business partnering and mentoring to guide healthy and sustainable growth. Either as a prime contractor or subcontractor, SDI includes MBE partners based on their core capabilities and to drive exponential MBE growth.”
SDI has been a member of Chicago United, a corporate membership organization that works to achieve parity in economic opportunity for people of color by advancing multiracial leadership in corporate governance, executive level management, and business diversity, since 2008. The firm has achieved Diamond status, the highest level within the Chicago United Five Forward™ program, which enlists established Chicagoland corporations to commit to working with five local minority firms over five years Notably, SDI participates not only as an MBE but manages its own team of MBE firms as a committed corporate member.
In addition to its diverse business partnership programs, SDI’s DE&I program addresses multiple functions within the firm: 75% of SDIs executive suite is diverse, consistently advocating diversity within the firm’s culture. SDI has achieved 45% diversity in its workforce, and actively recruits from diverse talent pools including community colleges, trade schools, and urban workforce development organizations. SDI has also mentored over 170 students over the past 20 years, drawing from community public schools and community college systems via the Chicago Apprentice Network.
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About SDI (SDI Presence LLC)
SDI Presence LLC is an IT consultancy and managed services provider (MSP) that leverages its strong team presence to advance our clients to a secure digital enterprise. With a 20-year corporate resume, SDI delivers strategic managed services, IT consulting, and hybrid infrastructure solutions to optimize our clients’ technology environments. SDI is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), with a portfolio of clients that includes some of the nation’s largest airports, utilities, commercial real estate portfolios, and government agencies. Visit us at www.sdipresence.com and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram.
About Sierra Public Safety Group
Sierra Public Safety Group is a Technology Integration and Security Services provider that specializes in helping customers achieve their business goals through technology. Established in 2012, we offer professional consulting in a variety of areas including, but not limited to, audio-video and teleconferencing, client-side desktop management, and server/network maintenance, and implementation. Sierra Public Safety Group is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) with The City of Chicago and State of Illinois.
About Chicago United
Chicago United is an advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve parity in economic opportunity for people of color by advancing multiracial leadership in corporate governance, executive level management, and business diversity. Founded in 1968, the organization is focused on transforming the Chicago region into the most inclusive business ecosystem in the nation by engaging the top publicly and privately held corporations in leading talent management and inclusive diversity practices. Chicago United currently has more than 90 member corporations. Chicago United’s signature programs include its Business Leaders of Color publication, which showcases a diverse pool of corporate director candidates, the Five Forward Initiative™, designed to invigorate job creation in communities of color by increasing the scale of large Minority Business Enterprises in the Chicago region, Inside Inclusion featuring the Corporate Diversity Profile, and the Corporate Inclusion Institute, the first-ever citywide business talent development program.
For media inquiries, please contact Dawn Nash Pfeiffer at 312.580.7516 or dfeiffer@sdipresence.com.
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