For the first time: The Advisory Committee convened with some of the biggest corporates in Israel, to help implement Jasmine’s WeSource Initiative, aiming to integrate diverse SME’s into the pool of suppliers of leading companies and support minority groups in Israel
WeSource initiated by Jasmine with the collaboration of Zionut 2000, Leumi Bank and Strauss Group aims to support SME’s and lead social- economic change in Israel. The initiative promotes the integration of diverse businesses from the periphery areas, owned by women and/or employs marginalized groups, into the main supply chains at major companies.
This exclusive initiative is led by Jasmine to promote and improve businesses conducted in companies and offer ways to make business deals with diverse and stable SME’s. “We see the branding of corporate suppliers as an engine growth for businesses in Israel”, says Kiram Baloum, Jasmine CEO.
The initiative works in 3 areas: training and building business capability among employers, adjustment of work methods and changing supply policy in major companies to open new opportunities to diverse businesses upon an online based supply platform.
The companies are satisfied with Jasmine’s pool of suppliers
During the first meeting of the Committee last November at P&G’s offices, with the help of Yael Madmoni, head of Supply Network Operations, the definition of WeSource’s leading team was set after a process of brainstorming and consultation. Ground- rules were set during the discussion to operate on 3 levels: training of suppliers, work methods developments with supply network operations managers and building and operating a data base of suppliers. The Committee is set to meet once every three months and discuss these processes alongside the corporates and suppliers.
In addition, the Committee members discussed the various ways to work with corporates and implement the processes effectively with supply network operations managers. It was decided thus to send a questionnaire among the current suppliers to help supply network operations managers identify the needed services of each corporate. The Committee’s insights concluded that most supply network operations managers are willing to accept direct inquiries from diverse suppliers and that Jasmine’s basic data base is satisfying and well- adjusted for these managers. Also, some corporates are willing to invest more resources to find and have direct access to suppliers and consider activating a call center for the matter.
Verint, Intel and Microsoft will start operating the initiative
So far, 37 corporates have been introduced to the initiative, 19 meetings have been conducted with its leading team and 3 corporates have already started to operate it- Verint, Intel and Microsoft. The process alongside those corporates includes introduction, identifying and focus of the current situation, drafting goals, identifying challenges, adjustments needed to conduct the process and support suppliers during the collaborations with the corporates.
In addition, Jasmine has trained, certified and accompanied SME’s owned by women among the initiative. These women were certified as diverse suppliers. The initiative was introduced to 1500 Jewish and Arab business owners and over 40 corporates in Israel. Also, a call for proposals was published to attract suppliers and a data base of over 250 potential suppliers was built.
VP’s and supply network operations managers of corporates attended the first Committee’s meeting
Representatives of “Zionut 2000”, Hila Offir manager of businesses for the community and Tahal Zeman, manager of businesses for the community- north attended the meeting. Also, Danit Bar, head of supply network operations at Leumi Bank and various supply network operations managers from leading companies attended, including Arkadi Rozenberg VP supply network operations manager at Tambour, Dror Welf, supply network operations manager at AIG, Yael Madmoni, supply network operations manager at P&G, Sharon Porat, supply network operations manager at Inter. Liat Gazlakofi, strategic contracts manage at Intel. Kiram Baloum, Jasmine’s CEO also attended with Guy Brill, advisor to the initiative and Nizan Brazili, strategic consultant to Jasmine.