Small Businesses, Big Stories

Customers today want the bigger story behind the products and services we provide. Where does my food come from? Which businesses have their finger on the pulse of local market trends? Are we supporting local communities and economies?

Our goal is to increase our small and diverse spend to 25% throughout our supply chain by 2025. We've also made our supplier certification campaign a priority to ensure our small and diverse supplier base is aware of network and business resources available to them. Our partner in this endeavor, Certify My Company, a certified women-owned business enterprise (WBE) and a disabled-owned business enterprise (DOBE) -- is assisting our self-classified diverse suppliers to obtain third-party diversity certifications.

Why Local, Small, and Diverse Suppliers?

We believe our supplier base should reflect the diversity of our employees, clients and customers, which in turn helps drive overall satisfaction and growth. Local, small and diverse suppliers have more insight into local market trends and can more authentically supply products and services that are culturally relevant for our consumers. Partnering with local, small and diverse suppliers drives economic impact and supports our diversity and inclusion goals.

At Aramark, we define locally sourced as grown, raised or caught within 250 miles (400km) of the Aramark location. We strive to purchase products from small-scale community-based producers that are independently or cooperatively owned enterprises. In 2018, we launched Open Fields Reporting, the industry’s first analytics engine that allows frontline managers to report on local and sustainable purchases.

Ensuring Fair Treatment

As a company committed to operating ethically and with integrity, we also have high standards for our suppliers. Our Supplier Code of Conduct insists that people throughout the supply chain are treated fairly—and are offered a safe working environment with fair pay. Suppliers must adhere to applicable employment and environmental laws and industry workplace standards, including non-discrimination guidelines, as well as allowing their employees freedom of association.

This foundational approach has led us to focus on offering products such as fair trade certified coffee across our businesses, as well as a groundbreaking agreement to help raise wages and improve working conditions for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Florida’s tomato farmworkers.

Partner with Us!

If you are a small, local or diverse supplier, register to work with us. We are always looking to expand our reach and satisfy even more customers.

Learn more about Supplier Diversity at Aramark!