Lilly builds on Racial Justice Commitment, more than doubles spending with Black suppliers

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Lilly says they’ve reached a major milestone in its Racial Justice Commitment. The company says it’s tripled its spending with Black and diverse suppliers and vendors locally and nationally. They say this is just one part of an ongoing plan to build equity.

Lilly representatives say the focus around the Racial Justice Commitment focuses on five key areas that includes people development, sustaining jobs, health, equity, social impact, and diversity partners. Although this is a work in progress, they say the ultimate goal is to create an equitable ecosystem, in the state of Indiana

Lilly, made a pledge in 2020 to expand its Racial Justice Commitment. Laying out a five-year plan with the understanding that would be its starting point.

“There’s not an eminent there. This is a journey, and we have signed up for the journey,” said Terry Morris, advisor for Racial Justice Commitment. He says the proverbial finish line is quite far away.

But the focus areas laid out in the racial justice commitment provides a metric to try to meet.

“As a major employer in the state, and certainly here in the city, we recognize the ability for us to make an impact,” Morris said.

In the last two years racial justice focus areas have made strides in people development through increasing Lilly’s Black talent base, adding and mandatory training for inclusive work culture.
Hiring and training Black families for job sustainability. Investing seed money to identify health barriers and more than double spending with Black suppliers and vendors.

“We have commitments to go further and faster. So we’re looking at ways to have even broader impact in the communities that we serve,” Morris said.

Adding that the mentor and protégé program has grown. Now including some of the mentees to the list of contractors.

“Across our value chain, whether it be IT manufacturing, or within our global services world, we have had a new partner in our quest to do the work of making lives matter.”