Hartford HealthCare Supplier Diversity Summit Builds Partnerships

After attending the first Supplier Diversity Summit at Hartford HealthCare, Alisa Bowens-Mercado was contracted to supply break rooms across the system with products from her fledgling coffee roasting business.

This year, Alisa was thrilled to be tapped to speak to potential suppliers about the experience she’s had as president of Rhythm Roasting Company.

“Hartford HealthCare is the leader in community inclusion, implementing strategic ways to identify minority- and women-owned businesses and connect them to buyers in the healthcare space,” she said. “The organization is committed to economic equity and created a space where diversity and inclusion is discussed and challenged.”

She spoke as part of the third Supplier Diversity Summit held at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. Representatives of more than 90 diverse companies, providing such services as credit check security, painting and paper hanging, metalworking and commercial cleaning, attended the summit.

According to Okey Agba, chief financial officer of Hartford HealthCare, these events have helped the system forge relationships with more than 300 companies headed by a minority, woman, veteran, people with disabilities, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

“This fiscal year, Hartford HealthCare increased our spending with minority, small-business and women-owned suppliers by 80% for a total spend of $192 million,” he said, adding that the goal is to increase the budget to $250 million this fiscal year. “Our minority suppliers are so important to building healthier communities and providing opportunities.”

The work, said Hartford HealthCare President and CEO Jeff Flaks, is ever-expanding and stems from the system’s commitment to equity, one tenet of its mission.

“This is one of the most important, most impactful events we do each year. At HHC, we are an anchor institution in all of the communities we serve and we embrace that responsibility. Our vision at HHC is to be a force multiplier of good. I thank you for your trust and your commitment to working with us,” Flaks told those gathered at the summit.