What if supplier diversity is not a side initiative, but one of the clearest indicators of whether an organization actually understands growth, innovation and economic resilience?

In this episode of Tune Up Your Warrior, Jenny sits down with Cassandra Dorrington, President and CEO of the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, for a conversation about supplier diversity as a real business and economic strategy.

For more than fifteen years, Cassandra has championed the growth of Indigenous and racialized suppliers in Canada and internationally. She has helped corporations build more inclusive procurement practices, connected suppliers with potential buyers and created stronger access to opportunity.

Cassandra has also been recognized as one of Atlantic Business Magazine’s 25 Most Powerful Women and one of DiversityCan Magazine’s Top 10 Leaders in People Strategy and Workplace Culture for 2025.

In this episode, they explore:

🌱 Why supplier diversity is not charity or optics, but strategy

💼 What organizations are still getting wrong about access and opportunity⚖️ The difference between performative commitment and real accountability

🚪 The systemic barriers diverse suppliers continue to face

📈 What companies leave on the table when they ignore diverse suppliers

✨ What meaningful leadership looks like when inclusion is built into how business is actually done

This conversation is an important reminder that organizations cannot expect greater innovation, stronger ecosystems and more resilient growth while continuing to build through the same narrow channels.

Learn more from CAMSC

CAMSC has several upcoming opportunities for businesses and suppliers looking to grow, build relationships and better understand the certification process.

Its upcoming Trade Missions are designed to help diverse suppliers connect with new markets and corporate opportunities, while the Supplier Certification session offers a closer look at how certification works and the value it can create.

Trade Missions: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5RVQ8B7

Supplier Certification session: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bMhRYcJyQlukNVqtrwbwUg#/registration

Find out more about CAMSC here: https://camsc.ca/