Wesource is making another significant step: The Forum of Purchasing Managers, initiated by and in cooperation with Zionism 2000, Jasmine and the best of the leading companies in Israel, has set practical steps to change the purchasing policy, turning it into diverse acquisition thus opening doors for small and medium businesses and populations excluded from the Israeli economy
The Wesource program, a data base including a wide variety of suppliers built by Jasmine, Zionism 2000, and Bank Leumi, continues its diverse purchasing revolution. Recently, a meeting was held by the Purchasing Managers Forum led by Zionism 2000 and the Jasmine Association, with the participation of purchasing managers from leading companies such as Bank Leumi, Netafim, Verint, Intel Israel, Wolfson, AIG, and others, with the aim of establishing practical measures and implemental methods for promoting diverse procurement in leading corporations and companies.The meeting was a declaration and expression of confidence from the Wesource partners, which consider it a social, national and practical enterprise. Wesource provides information on various suppliers with high potential and reinforces the abilities of businesses excluded from the Israeli economy. Currently, some of the companies participating in the forum are already promoting diverse purchasing and others have expressed interest in joining the revolution, all with the understanding that the success and profits will serve everyone.
Behind Wesource is the vision to promote small and medium-sized businesses owned by women and minorities and businesses from the peripheral region suffering from a reduced representation in Israel’s economy, by setting a diverse procurement policy in Israel’s leading corporations and companies. “The recognition of diverse public acquisition as having both business and social benefits has led us to establish the project, to which we have succeeded in recruiting and harnessing the best of the organizations and companies,” said Kiram Baloum, founder and CEO of Jasmin. “Today, we are working together on practical steps that will remove barriers: advice, guidance and briefing to both purchasing managers in corporations and leading companies, as well as business owners. The starting point is that regulation in itself does not generate transactions – the change must come from the field, and this requires a conceptual and practical change in the procurement process.
More than 400 businesses were accepted for the project
As part of the forum’s meeting, which included purchasing managers of leading companies in Israel, the impressive work carried out to date was presented. The data showed that 45 leading corporations and companies were exposed to the project, of which 32 presentation and service adjustment meetings were held, and of which 6 companies and leading corporations have already begun to implement the diverse procurement process in the company. In terms of small and medium-sized business owners, about 410 businesses were screened and approved for a variety of businesses, out of 650 who registered. 32 businesses have already been incorporated as diverse suppliers in corporations and another 80 have been suggested by Jasmin as suppliers for the acquisition in corporations and companies. The actual success stories behind the data were also presented. David Milstein, Purchasing Manager at Verint Israel, presented the success story of Verint as an active member of the Wesource initiative, already leading in varied acquisitions, through Jasmin’s efforts, including accompanying, providing tools, creating quality suppliers databases and more.
Samer Balan, owner of BSE Construction Systems, presented the story of his success, as he registered to the business database that Jasmine built, and accompanied by the organization, he managed to become a broad and strong supplier for the acquisition of leading companies, including Intel Israel. Balan, an example of a varied supplier from the Arab sector, employs minorities, people with disabilities, and produces equal opportunities, and has presented the successes that the project has brought to his business.
Becoming Pro-active – All Suppliers Are Equal!
Tahel Zimmen, director of northern Israel in Zionism 2000, presented the importance of the integration of diverse suppliers and the actions of Zionism 2000 in cooperation with Jasmine in the framework of the Wesource project, promoting the issue with purchasing managers and building policies, tools, and applications to bring diverse acquisitions to corporations. “Among other things, the transition from a passive approach to an active one has been presented to the Forum, whereby all suppliers are equal but not identical, so organizational adjustments are required,” Says Zimmen, “The forum dealt with the importance of the management’s involvement and with possible blocks such as the lack of existing diverse acquisition and the fear of substandard service by, yet unknown, suppliers”. The Forum has set the rules of thumb to promote a responsible and diverse procurement, such as providing an equal opportunity for everyone, exceptions in the threshold for contracts, accompanying the process, vendor-tailored supply plan, flexible pricing for small vendors, the flexibility of payment conditions for businesses at risk and more.
“In terms of the work process over time, the forum aims to create awareness among interest holders, adapt the organizational norms, and map the existing situation.”
Baloum thanked the participants at the meeting of the Procurement Forum and closed the day: “The purpose of the plan as a whole, is to undergo a transition from economic management procurement to diverse acquisition that builds and strengthens business efficacy among owners of small and medium-sized businesses as stable suppliers in the leading companies in Israel, believing that small businesses are an important growth engine for the country’s economy. When we focus on small businesses, owned by minorities, women, businesses that employ modified populations, social business, and so on, we strive to strengthen and integrate them into the Israeli economy. It is important to note that, like other ventures lead by Jasmine, the foundation is a common economic interest – this is the anchor to success and what guarantees that Wesource will not only seep into any organization in the country, but also succeed in making a long-lasting change and a stable economy.
Baloum addressed the Forum’s meeting, noting that: “Each meeting is an important step in learning about the tools and processes required to promote a variety of suppliers in corporations and companies. We are leaving with the feeling that there was much knowledge in the room, and a unified perception of the importance of diversity in general and in acquisition in particular. We will continue to promote and develop additional tools to strengthen the project.