Supplier Diversity Program

Building and sustaining enterprise-wide diversity and inclusion is essential for success in Blue Shield’s mission of transforming health care. For us, diversity is a strategic imperative because it enables a flow of new ideas, unleashes creative problem-solving and values the differences our people bring to the table—differences in gender identity, race, age, sexual orientation, ability/disability, ethnicity, and veteran status as well as educational background and life experience.

We do this by creating an environment where all employees, suppliers, contractors, and members can be their authentic selves and reach their potential. Beyond being free of discrimination, we believe that our supplier community should reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. To enable this outcome, we:
 

• actively foster a diverse supplier base;
• provide bid opportunities to a diverse range of suppliers;
• hold prime suppliers accountable for providing subcontracting opportunities to diverse suppliers; and
• procure high-quality, competitively priced goods and services from a diverse range of suppliers.
   

All suppliers are eligible to participate in Blue Shield of California's Supplier Diversity Program.

Driven by a clear vision and mission

Global Business Services’ goal is to integrate the principles of supplier diversity into its sourcing practice for goods and services from diverse business enterprises.

Vision

To be a world class enterprise center of sourcing excellence that focuses on developing relationships and creating opportunities for certified diverse business enterprises to do business with Blue Shield.

Mission

Own the supplier diversity strategy and practices with the goal to increase program spend and be the preferred brand in the marketplace with diverse suppliers.

Our guiding principles encompass:
 

• fostering an operating environment that creates equal opportunities for inclusion of all certified diverse-owned business enterprises;
• seeking reputable and capable relationships that can deliver high-quality business capabilities, innovation, and value delivery;
• facilitating knowledge sharing, driven by a rigorous and collaborative approach; and
• establishing agreements that will sustain benefits and tie into ongoing compliance.
   

Learn more about our supplier code of conduct (PDF, 122 KB).

Products and services we buy

We are committed to supplier diversity by providing access and opportunity for all suppliers to participate in our procurement process.

How to participate

All suppliers are eligible to participate in Blue Shield of California's Supplier Diversity program.
 

1. Majority prime suppliers participate by providing subcontracting opportunities for verified diverse suppliers.
2. Diverse suppliers are certified small businesses and those that are 51 percent or more owned and operated by women, minorities, disabled, disabled veterans and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender).
    

Participation requires proof of certification/verification. We accept certification from the following organizations and their regional affiliates:

Subcontracting

Blue Shield of California (BSC) has implemented a Subcontracting Initiative as part of the Supplier Diversity Program, asking each of our prime suppliers to provide subcontracting opportunities to diverse suppliers and to report direct and indirect spend with diverse suppliers. There are three kinds of diversity spend reporting: direct, direct subcontracting, and indirect subcontracting.

Direct dollars are defined as the dollar amount paid to a certified diverse supplier for a product or service that is directly related to a prime contractor. For instance, if BSC contracts with a minority printer to produce welcome kits, that spend would be reported at 100% value.

Direct subcontracting dollars are defined as the dollar amount paid to a certified diverse supplier for a product or service that is not directly related to the prime contractor. For instance, if one of BSC’s majority fulfillment suppliers buys envelopes for a BSC mailing from a diverse supplier, that spend would be reported as subcontracting at 100% value.

Indirect subcontracting dollars are defined as the dollar amount paid to a certified diverse supplier for a product or service that is not directly related to BSC. For example, the same majority fulfillment supplier buys janitorial and landscape services from a certified diverse supplier and the annual amount is $10,000. If BSC represents 10% of the prime contractor’s overall business, the amount to be reported as indirect subcontracting would be $1,000 ($10,000 x 10%).

Enrollment

All suppliers that want to sell their goods and services to Blue Shield of California must register at https://solutions.sciquest.com/apps/Router/SupplierLogin?CustOrg=BSCA

Questions? Contact us at SupplierDiversity@blueshieldca.com.