JLL hosts third
annual Supplier
Diversity Executive
Summit 

On August 11 and 12, JLL senior leaders, clients, and suppliers attended JLL’s third annual Supplier Diversity Executive Summit. Attendees were invited to share and learn best practices for creating diverse supplier programs, discuss the importance of intentionality in driving successful outcomes, and hear about trends in the commercial real estate industry. The two-day virtual event was sponsored by The Millennium Group, a Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprise and widely recognized premier provider of Integrated Office & Facilities, Mail, and Print Services Outsourcing. JLL works with over 960 diverse supplier partners across industries like construction services, soft facility services, hard facility services and architectural services.

Day 1

JLL Corporate Solutions CEO, Neil Murray, kicked off the summit by sharing JLL's dedication to supplier diversity saying, “At the core of our purpose is a commitment to diversity. We are a leader and a partner in the communities we serve. In that, there is a foundational duty to promote equality, justice and inclusion in the places we live and work. It's not just nice to have, it's not a corporate checkbox, it's an absolute foundational duty and one we take very seriously. At JLL, I hope we are known around the world for our focus on the human elements of the spaces we build and maintain. It's in that humanity that we find our shared values and experience. Therefore, we are leaning into diversity and supplier diversity very intentionally.”

Following Murray, Herman Bulls, JLL’s Vice Chairman of the Americas, presented his keynote address. Bulls gave an overview of the firm’s history and spoke about JLL’s goal to shape the future of real estate for a better world for everyone. In his role, Bulls provides thought leadership and strategy for JLL client senior executives as well as guidance on growing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives through his leadership with JLL’s Black Professionals Network. He addressed the need to continue this growth saying, “It all starts with the idea that to whom much is given, much is expected. It really gets down to what each of our partners, brands, colleagues and employees can do and it’s about leadership. Leadership is how we influence a group to accomplish a common goal. With all the issues we are facing today in our world, you and I can be part of the solution. It takes the courage to speak up when situations are uncomfortable. It takes the courage and dedication to learn about diversity issues. With a solid foundation of understanding the historical aspects of racism and unconscious bias, we can all become better leaders.”

Jessica Turner, Director of Supplier Diversity and Sustainability, also opened the event with the vision for the summit as well as JLL’s supplier diversity vision and roadmap.

“Mapping out our Supplier Diversity Program means setting an intentional plan to ensure our commitment to diversity is reflected in our purchasing practices and our processes are best-in-class, said Turner. “Through our three-phase, five-year plan we will first develop program infrastructure, then expand accountability, and finally, leverage our global supply chain to maximize opportunities for our diverse supplier partners, our clients, and the communities we serve.”

The summit also included speakers who shared best practices surrounding supplier diversity. JP Morgan Chase discussed examples of how the company implemented best practices in their journey to the Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR), an exclusive group of U.S.-based corporations that have attained $1 billion or more in annual Tier 1 supply-chain diversity spend, a key threshold for BDR membership.

Turner’s detailed plan in conjunction with JP Morgan Chase’s messages on supplier diversity best practices will help JLL set the industry standard.

Day 2

On the second day of the summit, JLL executives addressed the changing work environments due to COVID-19. In a seminar called “Navigating the Next Normal,” participants learned about JLL’s strategies to safely re-enter the workplace. Nicole Hom, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, and Julie Hyson, Managing Director, Project and Development Services discussed how JLL adapted floorplan layouts and implemented social distancing and sanitation practices to bring employees back to a safe office environment.

In his seminar “Adapting Your Business Model in Response to COVID-19,” Chuck Haas, Director of Sales at Tovar Snow Professionals, discussed strategies for how companies must position themselves during challenging times.

The summit concluded with JLL’s Peter Miscovich, Managing Director, discussing JLL’s approach to COVID-19 and the ways JLL is helping clients navigate challenges and the changing work environment.

Miscovich shared, “We view COVID-19 as an accelerant for change and transformation. We are looking at a reimagined future and how we can help our clients bridge to the “next normal” and to be able to flourish and gain competitive advantage in the future state.”

JLL’s Supplier Diversity Program and Annual Supplier Diversity Executive Summit are part of the firm’s overall commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – supporting the diversity of our clients, colleagues, and communities. Learn more about diversity and inclusion at JLL.

Summit highlights