The Business Diversity Program (BDP) is committed to ensuring that vendors, suppliers, service providers, consultants, architects, engineers, and contractors who serve the University reflect the diversity of the Washington state business community. The Program helps strengthen the economic development and viability of small, minority and women-owned businesses and helps to ensure that the University receives quality goods and services at competitive prices.

The BUSINESS DIVERSITY PROGRAM:

Seeks to assure equality of opportunity for small, minority, and women-owned businesses
Conducts business opportunity fairs and provides information on how to do business with the University
Provides training opportunities and educational forums for businesses
Supports UW departments and schools/colleges in sourcing qualified businesses
Encourages the University's larger suppliers and contractors to develop and expand their commitment to business diversity with their suppliers and subcontractors.
Recommends qualified businesses become certified as minority or women business enterprises with the State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises.

"We will become an academic community that mirrors the varied faces of our society. The challenges of our time require the energy and ideas of all our people. We cannot afford to leave out the creativity and innovations of any segment of society. But beyond this practical argument, equality of opportunity is a matter of simple justice. It's the right thing to do, and the University will do it." (October 2004)

Business Diversity Program: Making the University more accessible

A revamped and reorganized Business Diversity Program is trying to make complex processes at the UW more accessible and understandable to underrepresented businesses in Washington, and also to raise the consciousness of those units purchasing goods and services.

The program recently was relocated within the Office of Strategy Management, a unit of Finance and Facilities. It has a University wide steering committee with representatives of units that are responsible for purchasing a major share of the UW's goods and services . The program is advised by a board composed of high-ranking UW officials, representatives of community groups and vendors who have worked with the UW. To read more click here.