Print This PageOffice of Supplier Diversity
Including You in What We Do
Monsanto Company understands the value of diversity and has created the Monsanto Office of Supplier Diversity to connect with diverse businesses. The Office of Supplier Diversity works to make sure diversity suppliers are provided an opportunity to do business with Monsanto.
"Monsanto has a long tradition of valuing diversity. As a global company, buying from diversity suppliers strengthens our ability to conduct business across all cultures and geographies. With the changing demographic and economic trends, including diversity suppliers is not only the right thing to do, but the only thing to do to continue that tradition." -- Terry Crews, Monsanto Chief Financial Officer
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide minority, women, and disadvantaged business enterprises (MWDBE) potential business opportunities with Monsanto. After successfully completing the Supplier Diversity Process, MWDBEs are considered in sourcing activities to compete for contracts.
Who We Are
Monsanto is an agricultural company. Farmers around the world use our innovative products to address on-farm challenges and reduce agriculture's overall impact on our environment. We produce leading seed brands in large-acre crops like corn, cotton, and oilseeds (soybeans and canola), as well as small-acre crops like vegetables. We also produce leading in-the-seed trait technologies for farmers that are aimed at protecting their yield, supporting their on-farm efficiency and reducing their on-farm costs. In addition to our seeds and traits business, we also manufacture the world's best-selling herbicide, Roundup®, and other herbicides - used by farmers, consumers and lawn-and-garden professionals.
Why Diversity Is Important to Monsanto Company
Monsanto's Executive Team has declared that building a diverse and inclusive organization will give Monsanto a competitive advantage. The team recognized that diversity is central to our success. To sustain and grow our business across all world areas, we require diverse business perspectives and the flexibility to work with a variety of people wherever we conduct business. Our work must reflect and respect the cultures, ideas and interests of all the consumers we serve and the communities we touch.
Who Qualifies as a Diversity Supplier
Monsanto is a national member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and the Woman's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
To be included in the Supplier Diversity process, suppliers must have an independent third-party certification that validates the ownership and management of their company. Certifications can be obtained from one of the regional councils of NMSDC or WBENC and State Departments of Transportation. We also consider other certifications that meet standards of ownership, management and control by diversity groups. Certification is not a requirement to do business with Monsanto. Certification is a requirement to be part of the referral process by the Office of Supplier Diversity.
We use the NMSDC (www.nmsdc.org) definition for minority-owned business enterprise (MBE); the WBENC (www.wbenc.org) definition for woman-owned business enterprise (WBE); and the U.S. Department of Transportation (www.dotcr.ost.dot.gov/asp/dbe.asp) definition for disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE).
- African American
- Asian Indian
- Asian Pacific
- Hispanic
- Native American
- Women
How to Register to Become a Supplier
If you are a certified MBE, WBE, or DBE that can add value to the products and services we source, register as a potential supplier by completing the Monsanto Supplier Information Profile. After completing the profile, one of the following will occur:
- You will be contacted if an opportunity arises in the type of products or services that you provide.
- If an opportunity does not exist, we will keep your information in our database for 12 months.
Registration does not guarantee business with Monsanto, but it is the first step in identifying your interest in doing business with Monsanto. Because of the high number of registrations, you will not be contacted unless there is a potential opportunity.
Supplier Diversity Process
- Outreach
We actively seek relationships with diversity suppliers through participation in trade shows, networking, and other events. - Inclusion
Diversity suppliers go through an internal qualification process that includes, but is not limited to, completing a questionnaire, having a positive financial risk assessment and business references, receiving a site visit and attending an on-site development workshop. - Advocacy
We work to ensure those diversity suppliers who successfully complete the internal qualification process are considered by Monsanto Procurement organizations. - Mentoring
We guide diversity suppliers through the internal Monsanto processes.
Supplier Diversity External Relations and Awards
- National member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) www.nmsdc.org
- National member of the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) www.wbenc.org
- Member of the St. Louis Minority Business Council (SLMBC)
- Monsanto has a Board position and is a co-founding corporation of the St. Louis Minority Business Council
- Member of the WBENC Gulf Coast partner organization - Monsanto has a Board position
- Member of the St. Louis chapter of the National Women's Business Organization (NAWBO)
- Member of the Women's Yellow Pages
- Supporter of Wisconsin Minority Business Council
- Supporter of Louisiana Minority Business Council
- Supporter of WBENC Chicago partner organization
- Supporter of The Small Business Monthly, The St. Louis Black Pages, and the Women's Yellow Pages
- 2007
Toni Brown, Buyer/Coordinator of the Year Award, received from St. Louis Minority Business Council - 2006
Corporation of the Year Award received from St. Louis Minority Business Council - 2005
Corporation of the Year Award received from St. Louis Minority Business Council
Deb Lebryk, Chairman's Award, received from St. Louis Minority Business Council
Jeff Sharpe, Buyer/Coordinator of the Year Award, received from St. Louis Minority Business Council - 2004
Corporation of the Year Award (shared jointly with Boeing) received from St. Louis Minority Business Council
How to Contact the Office of Supplier Diversity
For general questions about our supplier diversity process, please email us at monsanto.diversity@monsanto.com.
