Diversity is a cornerstone of our culture at IHG, which is why we champion supplier diversity as part of our commitment to responsible procurement.  

 

As part of this commitment, IHG launched our Engaging Partnerships through Inclusion and Collaboration (EPIC) Suppier Diversity Program in 2022, designed to drive impact among under-represented supplier groups. EPIC’s aim is to support IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow initiative of improving the lives of 30 million people around the world by driving inclusion and impact among under-represented supplier groups.  

 

Helen Cooper, VP, Procurement Excellence & Corporate Services, led the development and launch of this program. As a result of collective action in 2023, the total spend among diverse suppliers at IHG was $111 million across North America and the UK, as seen in the Tier 2 reporting for that year.  

 

This is an achievement of monumental proportions and DiversityPlus Magazine agreed by honoring Helen Cooper as one of the Top 25 Women in Power Impacting Diversity for 2024.  

 

The women selected for this list are leaders in positions related to diversity and inclusion, supplier diversity, procurement and sourcing, and supply chain management. They have a proven record of bringing measurable positive change to their organizations in unique ways, with one thing in common: They are all continuous change agents who refuse to let challenges become barriers. Instead, they develop solutions in a period of ongoing turmoil in the business environment. 

 

A consistent theme for the women selected for 2024 was greater use of technology to build the business case, drive progress, and hold people accountable. Helen’s work aligns with this theme, as she leads the Procurement Technology team, where she uses a digitally enhanced lens to raise the visibility of existing diverse suppliers.  

 

DiversityPlus Magazine has over 137,000 readers in the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, China, Brazil, and the United Kingdom, and is recognized as a leading-edge source of diversity content.