Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vision Statement

 

Respecting each individual and recognizing the value that we each bring to the SOGA team is essential.  SOGA champions a diverse and inclusive environment while celebrating all individuals through a love of sport.

We encourage and welcome diversity, recognizing it as a key advantage and value different backgrounds and perspectives.  Some types of diversity are life experience, work experience, perspective, culture, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender identity and age.  Diversity assists us in looking at situations from a variety of angles and encourages the development of ideas and solutions.

Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) will strive to be an organization that reflects all communities, and one in which everyone with a role in carrying out the Special Olympics mission feels empowered to be their full, authentic selves and do their best work, whether as Special Olympics athletes, volunteers, donors/sponsors, business partners, or employees.

 

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Vision Policy:

 Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) will strive to be an organization that reflects all communities, and one in which everyone with a role in carrying out the Special Olympics mission feels empowered to be their full, authentic selves and do their best work, whether as Special Olympics athletes, volunteers, donors/sponsors, business partners, or employees.

 

Special Olympics Georgia Vendor Diversity Guideline

Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) believes that including diverse suppliers in our sourcing process provides us the greatest opportunity to develop innovative, high quality, and cost-effective business solutions. The business case for working with diverse suppliers is that it strengthens our organization internally and supports communities on the outside, as well as, providing a competitive advantage to SOGA.

Process:

  • Identification – SOGA may identify minority, woman, veteran, service-disabled veteran, people within intellectual or physical disabilities owned business enterprises that are capable of meeting our business requirements.
  • Qualification – SOGA may determine relevant business criteria such as competencies, geographical scope, and capacity.
  • Due Diligence – SOGA may validate MWVBE status through WBENC, NMSDC*, Department of Veterans Affairs and other local sources to verify certification.
  • Outreach – SOGA may consider diverse suppliers through participation in national, regional and local minority and women owned, business development organizations, people with intellectual or physical disabilities advocacy groups and trade shows.

*MWVBE – Minority, Women, Veteran and/or service-disabled veteran owned Business Enterprises; WBENC – Women’s Business Enterprises National Council; NMSDC – National Minority Supplier Development Council

Possible questions for vendors:

  • Is your company certified as a woman, service-disabled veteran owned or minority-owned business?
  • If your company is woman, minority or service-disabled veteran-owned but not certified, does your company hold a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) or SBA 8(a) certification?
  • Does your company have a Supplier Diversity Program? If so, describe efforts your company has made to increase business with women, minority and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (i.e., does your company have a policy statement, participate in outreach activities, promote diverse firm subcontracting, publicize contract opportunities, provide certification assistance, etc.?).

Request for Proposal (RFP) Language

  • Identification- SOGA could identify minority, woman, veteran, service-disabled veteran, people with intellectual or physical disabilities owned business enterprises that are capable of meeting our business requirements.
  • Outreach – SOGA may consider diverse suppliers through participation in local minority-and women-owned, business development organizations, people with intellectual or physical disabilities advocacy groups and trade shows.

Adopted: 5/24/2023