Supplier Diversity
Supplier Diversity
Contact Supplier DiversityAt Milliken, we believe a diverse and inclusive supplier program benefits all stakeholders. We encourage diversity and inclusion when making supplier selections. Milliken awards business to the best supplier based on integrity, value, quality, risk, sustainability, and price.
Recognized supplier diversity categories are further described here. To be designated as a diverse supplier, a supplier can self-certify by completing the certification form. Once submitted it will be reviewed by our internal team and entered into our database. If selected to participate in a bid event, a Milliken Sourcing professional may reach out for additional information. Milliken annually audits aspects of our Supplier Diversity Policy Statement. Providing a supplier diversity certification does not guarantee business nor does it assure companies as a preferred supplier status. Milliken suppliers must meet all other Milliken requirements, including accepting our Supplier Code of Conduct.
Our Commitment to Supplier Diversity
Join Our Supplier Mentorship Program
- Created to help suppliers bridge the gap to growth
- Includes educational opportunities
- Benefits of participating:
- Free education
- Networking
- Participants in the program will receive advance notice when bid opportunities become available.
(Milliken Events schedule and sign up links for all events)
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Milliken believes diversity is key to our success. Having a broad and inclusive supplier network enables us to better understand the needs of our customers, tap into new ideas that add value to our business, and upholds our values. Supplier Diversity matters, and Milliken continues to demonstrate our commitment to small and diverse-owned companies by hosting the annual Milliken Momentum Supplier Diversity Conference. This annual event brings together Milliken buyers, our customers, Tier 1 suppliers and partner organizations to engage with small and diverse-owned companies to educate, network, and build opportunities.
Registration is Now Open!
Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Location: Milliken HQ – Spartanburg, SC
Time: 8 AM – 4 PM
Details: Educational sessions, innovation displays, networking, and more!
milliken supplier Recognition program
Our third annual Supplier Recognition Luncheon was held on November 13, 2024. Six awards were presented during this event to Wesco, Staples, Great Dane, Print Source, Signatures Apparel, and Sonoco. Congratulations to our winners!
Left to Right: Emily Smith, Kathy Vezina, and Jennifer Paradis
Left to Right: Mark Myers, Alex Tam, Kelly Smith, Joseph Myers
Left to Right: Sean Novick and David Heichemer
Left to Right: Sonja Wilkie and Brad Martin
Left to Right: Zach Folmar, Melissa Holder, John Beale, and Randy Jeffus
Left to Right: Kelsey Kraina, Phillip Davis, Maurie Lawrence, Josh Riggs
"Our partnership with Milliken has been incredibly impactful for Signatures Apparel, aligning perfectly with our shared sustainability values. When we attended an event in Milliken's Innovation Gallery, we gained valuable insights into their creative use of fabrics, which sparked new ideas for our own sustainable practices. Through collaboration with their team, we identified scrap fabric materials that would otherwise go to waste and repurposed them into unique gifting opportunities for events and donations for hurricane relief efforts. This initiative not only supports our commitment to reducing textile waste, but also strengthens our ability to contribute meaningfully to communities in need. Milliken's forward-thinking approach has truly helped the team at Signatures create dialogue and products for a more sustainable and socially responsible future."
– Jennifer Paradis, CEO of Signatures Apparel and recipient of the 2024 Milliken Supplier Diversity Award
Past Winners
2022
Embark Business Solutions, LLC was awarded the Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program Award for 2022.
Our first annual Supplier Recognition Luncheon was held on November 15, 2022. Four awards were presented during this event to Grainger, Picanol, Lift One, and Embark Business Solutions, LLC. Congratulations to our winners!
2023
Dionne Sandiford from Corporate Stitch was awarded the Supplier Diversity award for 2023. Corporate Stitch was a premier partner at the Milliken Momentum event held in May. To learn more about this company, please visit their website by clicking here.
Our second annual Supplier Recognition Luncheon was held on November 13, 2023. Five awards were presented during this event to Scheutz, Bionmic, ICL, Estes, and Corporate Stitch. Congratulations to our winners!
“I represent the small business owner, woman-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses that want a seat at the table with big companies. Thank you to Milliken for seeing the importance of DEI and continuing to support it. It can be a game-changer for a small business.”
– Dionne Sandiford, Corporate Stitch
| Date | Event | Location | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Hybrid/Spartanburg, SC | Strategic Growth (11 AM-1:45 PM); Session includes lunch & innovation gallery tour for those on-site; Learn how to create a clear, actionable roadmap to scale your business and ensure your business is ready to grow. This workshop will help you understand the importance of a strategic approach to assessing foundational conditions to support growth, compare growth strategies, and subsequently align resources to achieve sustainable success. |
Jan 30
|
| February 10-13, 2025 | National Small Business Conference | New Orleans, LA | A premier supplier diversity networking event for small businesses. | Feb 10-13
|
| February 19, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Hybrid/Spartanburg, SC | Access to Capital (1-2 PM); Discover funding options to fuel your business growth. In this SC SBDC workshop, explore strategies for securing capital, understanding loan requirements, and leveraging financial resources to support your next stage of growth. |
Feb 19
|
| March 6, 2025 | OneSpartanburg Women in Business 2025 | Spartanburg, SC | Women in Business 2025 will feature regional keynote speakers and growth activities dedicated to helping you and your business perform personally and professionally. |
|
| March 25, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Tax Workshop (9 AM - 2 PM EST) |
|
| April 15, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Risk Management (1:30-2:30 PM) | April 15
|
| May 16, 2025 | WEConnect Global Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Symposium | Washington, DC | Third annual event to bring together diverse businesses and Milliken's Tier 1 supply base, includes educational sessions & campus tours. |
|
| May 21, 2025 | Milliken Momentum Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Conference | Spartanburg, SC | Third annual event to bring together diverse businesses and Milliken's Tier 1 supply base, includes educational sessions & campus tours. |
June 12
|
| June 3-5, 2025 | USPAACC Business + Procurement Conference | Oxon Hill, MD | America’s largest and longest-running business development conference convened by Pan Asian Americans. |
July 3-5
|
| June 10, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Hybrid/Spartanburg, SC | Operational Efficiencies (2-3 PM) | Jan 10
|
| June 22, 2025 | WEConnect International Day | New Orleans, LA | This high-impact day will bring together our global network of women business owners, corporate member buyers, and industry leaders, providing attendees unparalleled opportunities to make business connections that matter. | July 30 - Aug 2
|
| June 23-26, 2025 | WBENC National Conference | New Orleans, LA | The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) provides the most relied upon certification for women-owned businesses and the tools to help them succeed. |
|
| July 9, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Certifications & Capability Statements (10 AM - 11 AM) |
July 9
|
| July 14-17, 2025 | Disability: IN | Orlando, FL | Disability:IN is the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. Our network of over 400 corporations expands opportunities for people with disabilities across enterprises. Our central office and 25 Affiliates serve as the collective voice to effect change for people with disabilities in business. |
Aug 13
|
| August 13, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Hybrid/Spartanburg, SC | Relationship Building (11 AM - 12 PM) | Aug 13
|
| August 19-22, 2025 | NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference | Las Vegas, NV | This globally recognized conference is the largest LGBTQ business event on the planet. The NGLCC Conference delivers innovative leadership programming as well as networking and engagement opportunities for more than 2,000 LGBTQ and allied business leaders. Cutting-edge educational programs include inspiring keynote speakers, the annual B2B Boot Camp for Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) suppliers, a local chamber development track, Marketplace Expo, one-on-one Matchmaker meetings between suppliers and Fortune 500 companies. | Jan 16
|
| September 10, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Legal - AI Focus (10 AM - 12 PM) |
Sept 12
|
| September 21-23, 2025 | USHCC National Conference | Atlanta, GA | This annual conference brings together local Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, Hispanic business leaders, and corporate partners to foster Hispanic economic development for the greater American economy. |
October 16
|
| October 8, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Spartanburg, SC | Lunch & Learn: Inclusion in Action (11 AM-12:30 PM) | October 8
|
| November 2-5, 2025 | NMSDC Conference & Exchange | Miami, FL | Every year NMSDC host conferences and networking events which attract more than six thousand participants. This conference includes four days in New Orleans turning ideas into action. 50 years of building momentum for economic equity. $1 trillion impact in our sights. | November 14
|
| November 12, 2025 | Milliken Supplier Recognition Event | Spartanburg, SC | 4th annual supplier recognition event - by invitation only |
|
| November 13, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Digital Marketing & Google Tools (2-3 PM) | Jan 30
|
| December 11, 2025 | Milliken Mentorship Program Event | Virtual | Sustainability (2-3 PM) | Dec 11
|
Our Current Partners
Supplier Reporting
Tier I Definition and Reporting
- Tier I suppliers, also known as Prime Suppliers, are those businesses that directly sell products and/or services to Milliken & Company
- Milliken & Company designates specific coding protocols to prime suppliers in our ERP system to indicate their specific diversity category
- Reporting is extracted on a quarterly basis
Tier II Definition and Reporting
- Tier II suppliers constitute the second layer of our supply base and refer to those companies that provide products and/or services to our prime suppliers
- Milliken & Company collects Tier II information via a custom form
- Milliken & Company accepts indirect and direct spending for Tier II diverse suppliers. This allows us consistency across our program and offers the best method of tracking our diverse spend dollars with our prime suppliers Indirect Method: To calculate the Tier II spend by prorating the prime supplier's company-wide diverse spend with the percentage of its total business represented by the customer company's business. For example, if the prime supplier spends $100 million annually with diverse suppliers and a particular customer represents 1% of its total business, the Tier II spend would be $1 million ($100 million x 1%). Direct Method: To engage diverse suppliers directly on Milliken & Company contract and report the amount paid to these specific suppliers therefore, each Tier II dollar can be traced back to a specific diverse supplier and to a specific project.
- Reporting is collected on a quarterly basis
If you are currently a PRIME supplier partner to Milliken & Company, please use the link below to submit your Tier II spending information.
Milliken Tier II Diversity Reporting Template
