AT&T Supplier Diversity

AT&T Supplier Diversity 40th AnniversayAT&T is known as a pioneer and a national leader in developing and implementing supplier diversity best practices. Our commitment to supplier diversity is evident in the benchmark best-spending results achieved — among the highest in the nation.

We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of our Supplier Diversity Programs, which began in 1968 with the creation of AT&T's Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program. In addition to the MBE Program, the launch of AT&T's Women Business Enterprise (WBE) Program in 1980 and its Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program in 1993 have better enabled AT&T to provide the best products and services to its customers by expanding contracting opportunities for diverse businesses across its enterprise. AT&T has mentored several diversity suppliers to support non-traditional areas of the company's business, and has also helped diverse businesses break into other industries, like advertising and contract manufacturing.

Supplier diversity is a critical initiative of AT&T's business strategy and a key component of the company's plan to deliver the best products and services to its customers.

Learn more about some of our diverse suppliers

Spending Record

AT&T has achieved some of the highest supplier diversity spending results in the country.

  • We increased our supplier diversity spending by nearly $2 billion from 2007 through 2009.
  • In 2009, AT&T spent $6.9 billion with minority-, women-, and disabled veteran-owned business enterprises, representing 14.2 percent of our total procurement.
  • We have spent $50 billion with the businesses since our Supplier Diversity Programs began in 1968.
  • In 2009 alone, this spending supported 37,722 external diverse small business jobs, and 14,271 external women-owned small business jobs in the economy.

[Source: 2009 AT&T Citizenship & Sustainability Report ]

Aggressive Goals

The company's goal is to procure 21.5 percent of its total procurement from diversity-owned enterprises. Specifically, the company's diversity goals are:

  • 15 percent with Minority Business Enterprises (MBE)
  • 5 percent with Women Business Enterprises (WBE)
  • 1.5 percent with Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE)

Making a Difference

AT&T is making a difference for minority-, women- and disabled-veteran-owned business enterprises. Working collaboratively with numerous diversity advocacy organizations, corporate forums and with policy-makers, AT&T increases business opportunities for M/WBEs and DVBEs by providing corporate support, leadership and innovation.

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Giving Back

Since 2000, the AT&T Foundation has granted more than $935,000 in diversity supplier educational scholarships and programming. The scholarships are granted to leading-edge business schools to provide expert coaching and tangible business benefits to incumbent and prospective diversity suppliers.