What is the Supplier Diversity Program?
Diversifying our base of suppliers makes good business sense for us at Zurich. An inclusive sourcing and procurement process not only expands opportunities in the communities we serve, it also increases competition, which can help fuel innovation, enhance service and product quality, and ensure fair and equitable vendor selection and pricing.
Those are just a few of the reasons Zurich North America’s Procurement and Vendor Management program works to provide our business units and functions with access to a wide selection of businesses, contractors and consultants who historically may have been underrepresented in our industry, but who can deliver products and services we and our customers need and value.
Working with diverse suppliers can help strengthen the communities Zurich serves, while strengthening Zurich’s ability to serve them well.
What is a diverse supplier?
We consider a diverse supplier to be a product or service provider that is at least 51% owned and controlled by an individual or group that is a part of a traditionally underrepresented or underserved community. Common classifications include:
- Minority-owned businesses
- Women-owned businesses
- Veteran-owned businesses
- Businesses owned by members of the LGBTQ+ Community
- Businesses owned by people with disabilities
Zurich invites diverse suppliers to explore our vendor requirements and consider possibilities to do business with us.
What are our supplier diversity certification requirements?
For a business or individual to be considered as a diverse supplier, Zurich requires certification according to our Procurement and Vendor Management guidelines. There are numerous certifying agencies, each having a focus on a particular minority group. ZNA accepts certifications from the following:
- National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
- Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
- National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
- Disability:IN
- System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
Certifications issued by local, state or federal government agencies are also accepted. Zurich does not accept self-certification; we encourage businesses to obtain certification from one of the councils or agencies listed above.
How to inquire about Zurich’s Supplier Diversity Program
Zurich North America has partnered with Supplier.IO, to access its database of certified diverse suppliers. The Supplier.IO database is used by Zurich and many other companies when seeking qualified diverse suppliers to consider when sourcing products and services.
If you are a diverse or minority business owner and would like to make information on your company available to Zurich and the other companies that access Supplier.IO’s database, please determine your eligibility and register as a supplier with Supplier.IO.
If you have additional questions about Zurich’s Supplier Diversity program, contact Nick Finia, Supplier Diversity Lead at nick.finia@zurichna.com.
Prospective claims services vendors should contact Zurich’s Claims Vendor Management Group at vendormanagement@zurichna.com or 847-413-5018.
Once your company successfully creates a profile, the information provided will be made available to Zurich North America's Procurement and Vendor Management team. Please note: Submitting information is not a guarantee that Zurich will engage a supplier or provide the opportunity to submit proposals. Rather, it improves the possibility of a company being recognized as a prospective supplier of products and/or services.
If you have been engaged as a diverse supplier and need to submit your indirect and direct spend that can be attributed to Zurich, please visit our Tier 2 reporting page.
Why supplier diversity matters
Zurich North America's Supplier Diversity program expands our reach to business opportunities that engage and utilize certified diverse suppliers in the communities. The program has the full support of our executives and is seen as a value driver to our responsible sourcing strategy and company culture.
A commitment to diversity takes many forms. Working with diverse suppliers expands economic opportunities for diverse communities and is a tangible and measurable way to demonstrate the breadth and depth of our diversity commitment. We are walking our talk.
We have a chance to make a notable difference in the representation of businesses with diverse ownership who have historically not received a fair share of visibility in our industry. Zurich’s Claims function alone relies on hundreds of external vendors to supplement the team’s capabilities.
We aim to measure, track and increase our spending with certified diverse suppliers in order to generate economic opportunity for underrepresented communities and create positive social impact.
