HP called on suppliers to diversify or lose its business — and it's working

Dive Brief:

HP Inc. CEO Dion Weisler is threatening to cut ties with suppliers that don't diversify their workforce, reports Fortune. Weisler called on CEO to "influence an ecosystem" and initiate leading a movement to "make a difference in the things you really believe in," he said.
The company's vendors have "stepped up" to meet the demand, Fortune reports. However, the ones that did not meet HP Inc.'s request "aren't getting work from us anymore," he said.
Weisler's mission is rooted in HP's workforce and culture saying employees want to to work for an organization "that cares about making a difference in the communities we serve."

Dive Insight:

HP is a staple of Silicon Valley-type companies, and its established reputation makes it an optimal role model for younger companies. But diversity is often an elusive principle in an industry that has a reputation for sexual harassment, ageism and and exclusionary tendencies.

Diversity has traditionally been a social issue, but Weisler is making it a business one too. In 2016, HP reported $4.38 million dedicated to social investments and nearly 17,000 women were trained through its "worker well-being programs."

"Ultimately, we want potential and current employees to be viewed as more than just numbers — we want them to be seen in a more personal, illustrative and human way. Our goal is for people to bring their whole selves into the workplace," Lesley Slaton Brown, HP's chief diversity officer, told CIO Dive last fall.

HP is walking the walk to match its talk, and the proof is in numbers. The PC maker outranks other companies, including Microsoft, Intel and Dell, for its percentage of women employees and women in leadership roles. Only Microsoft outranks HP for the percentage of minorities in leadership roles, with 31% and 21%, respectively.

Part of HP's inclusion initiatives include partnerships with organizations such as the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Anita Borg Institute and Association of Latino Professionals for America, according to the company.