Almost 20 years ago, IBM added sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy. Almost 10 years ago, the company ran its first recruitment advertisement in The Advocate and over five years ago, instituted same-sex domestic-partner benefits.
In case you didn't get the point, IBM is reaching out to the GLBT community.
This point was hammered home even more when I talked separately with Irwin Drucker, Director of IBM's GLBT Supplier Relations, and Sarah Siegel, IBM's Program Director of GLBT Sales and Talent. Don't think that it's going to be easy to become associated with the company, however. Both Drucker and Siegel stressed that IBM's policy is one of equality, not preference.
Windy City Times: First, Irwin, how would you define supplier diversity?
Irwin Drucker: We have a diverse set of customers and a diverse set of employees. We want to have a supplier base that matches our customer base. Therefore, we have seven recognized diversity groups for which we have program directors to facilitate IBM finding these suppliers and developing them as potential suppliers to IBM. We want to create a win-win situation for them and [us].
WCT: Out of curiosity, what are these seven groups?
ID: They're women, Blacks, people with disabilities, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and the gay and lesbian community.
WCT: How and when did the GLBT program start?
ID: It started in the fourth quarter of 1999 and it started with me asking the naive question of 'Why don't we have one?' The global procurement management committee met and thought that was a really good question. Thirty minutes later, they announced that I had volunteered to head up a new program. So, the lesson there is to be careful what you ask for.
It started as a part-time job and, after six months, the executive management at IBM decided that it was important enough to be a full-time assignment. Three years later, it's still extremely exciting.
WCT: You have relationships with approximately 25 gay-owned businesses?
ID: We've actually added a few more, including a Canadian company—so we have our first international supplier. We want to step up our U.S. program but we also want to expand to other, 'gay-friendly' countries like Belgium and the Netherlands.
WCT: Do you have any connections to businesses in Chicago?
ID: We currently have one supplier that is actively on board with us. [It's] called City Staffing and we get complementary work force and technical services of things we've purchased from them in the past. We've also identified about a half dozen [other] businesses that have the potential to be IBM suppliers. They have the proven track record.
The way [the program] works is this: Just because you have a gay- or lesbian-owned business and you happen to sell something IBM is interested in buying doesn't guarantee that you're going to get a contract with us. You'll have to compete on your merits and on the quality and timing of your deliverables.
WCT: So you're ensuring equal competition?
ID: Exactly. What this program is designed to do is level the playing field. We welcome suppliers to IBM and we look forward to doing business with them. You should feel comfortable enough to participate as an openly gay or lesbian person. It's not a guarantee that, because you self-identify and that you're selling something IBM is currently buying, we're going to buy from you.
WCT: Where do you see this program five years from now?
ID: Hopefully, we won't need this program.
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When I spoke with Siegel, she couldn't wait to fill me in on IBM's GLBT marketing and talent procurement.
WCT: Sarah, you went to London recently. How was that?
Sarah Siegel: We met with the Gay Business Association in London, which is the equivalent of Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. They had their largest turnout ever. IBM has put together a lecture series about GLBT advertising. [We] present video lectures to professional GLBT organizations in cities around the U.S. as well as in Toronto and London. In return, these groups let other people know that IBM helps small businesses.
WCT: Now your actual title is ...
SS: Program Director of GLBT Sales and Talent. It's not an ampersand; it's actually a-n-d because they're absolutely different from each other.
WCT: I'm going to ask you something I also asked Irwin. When and how did this program begin?
SS: We were actually earlier and later than Irwin. A person would already be devoted a third of the time to the gay and lesbian market—since 1997.
Our GLBT executive task force, of which I'm a member, recommended, at the end of 2000, a two-person team to concentrate exclusively on the GLBT [demographic]. We're so lucky to have [Vice President and Group Executive of IBM Global Services] Doug Elix as an amazing ally and champion. He's devoted to our constituency and to diversity as a whole. When we went to Doug with our recommendation, he said yes [to supporting the idea] right away. To answer your question about when we got started, it was June of 2001.
Let me tell you about internalized homophobia—on my own part. I've always said that the only homophobia that's held me back is my own.
WCT: That's an interesting statement.
SS: When the job posting went out [to join the team], I was actually afraid that no one would answer it. However, 92 people answered the ad—including the guy who was the top of a wonderful batch of people, Joseph Bertolotti. Since that groundswell of interest I haven't held myself back.
WCT: How big a role does EAGLE [Employee Alliance for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Empowerment] play regarding sales and talent?
SS: That's a perfect question because, if you think about it, Joseph and I form the perfect team. In London, we had a local, openly gay IBM [employee] come do the intro. People heard a British voice and [loved it]. Sometimes having an openly gay employee can lead to lots of revenue. It's amazing.
It's important to know how IBM defines the GLBT market. We actually define it as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered customers and their associates. If an influential person who's with a gay [officer] is straight, it's still that's attributed to the GLBT market because there's that connection. There are about 30 EAGLE chapters worldwide. For example, there are two groups in Mexico that are helping us with opportunities there. I'm so glad you asked that question because Joseph and I would be nowhere without our extended network.
WCT: Are you ever concerned about heterosexuals complaining about reverse discrimination?
SS: Never. IBM is looking for the top talent in every case. IBM conducts outreach to all, including the mainstream. We're just trying all angles to make sure that all people feel welcome.
WCT: So you want to ensure equality, not favoritism.
SS: Correct. It's important to IBM that all people think about us.
WCT: I read that IBM is researching the information technology buying needs of the GLBT community. How are those needs different from those of the heterosexual community?
SS: The only difference is that the only people doing the buying happen to be G-L-B or T. What we were really trying to find out is what is our fair share of the spending power of the GLBT community. We surveyed GLBT decision-makers, gay-owned business, and Fortune 500 companies to see what their findings were.
WCT: What's been the biggest surprise you've found in your research?
SS: What I think was a pleasant surprise was that constituency-owned businesses are growing three times as fast as 'traditional' small businesses.
WCT: Where do you see this program five years from now?
SS: Oh, I love that. (Pauses.) I would love for all of the mainstream client teams to be aware that we have this customer-based service and respect them. I just think there's so much power in GLBT and non-GLBT salespeople working together.
Right now, we're doing bits and pieces in Canada, Mexico, France, and the U.K. We want to see this program go a lot more global, even countries that are not necessarily hospitable to gays at this moment.
I'm at adavis@starmail.com .
GLBT Technology & Business Series
IBM and Windy City Media Group present a year-long series of profiles of leaders in the GLBT business and non-profit world. At the end of 2003, IBM and WCMG will present awards to key business leaders.
Please nominate businesses or individuals to be profiled by sending a short description, contact info, and your info to: editor@windycitytimes.com .
Take advantage of IBM's expertise in helping to uncover new revenue opportunities and reveal competitive advantages for your business; contact Sarah Siegel, Program Director of GLBT Sales, at ssiegel@us.ibm.com .
IBM: The Technology Leader for the GLBT community, is proud to sponsor the GLBT Technology Leadership Campaign.
