SGI's Commitment to Diversity

SGI believes that it is important to have a positive work environment for all employees and business partners. By positive we mean one where individuals--with their many cultural backgrounds and lifestyles--are respected and one that promotes the Power of Many, the Spirit of One, SGI's theme of diversity. SGI strives to ensure the rights and dignity of everyone.

Recognition of SGI's Commitment to Diversity
SGI has been honored by many leading publications and organizations for its commitment to diversity:

  • Fortune magazine
    SGI ranked No. 18 in Fortune magazine's "50 Best Companies for Minorities" in 2002.

  • Working Woman magazine
    Working Woman magazine named SGI one of the Top 30 firms with the best supplier diversity programs in the April 2001 issue. SGI ranked 19th on the list of Fortune 1000 companies and ranked No. 1 for companies in the Silicon Valley.

  • Human Rights Campaign
    The Human Rights Campaign has honored SGI with the Leadership Award for Courage for leadership in gay, lesbian, and transgender equality.

  • Project Hired
    Project Hired named SGI the Employer of the Year for recognizing the value of people with disabilities in the workplace.

Recent Achievements in Supporting Diversity
SGI and its many partners throughout the community are committed to bringing diversity to life, as seen in the following:

  • SGI collaborated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration's AMES facility in Mountain View, California to bring students from underserved schools to NASA to learn about space flight, aeronautics, and life sciences.

  • SGI has donated a computer lab which included systems, wiring, paint, and carpeting to the National Hispanic University learning center.

  • SGI is a co-founding corporate member of the National Hispanic Employee Association (a network of Hispanic employee associations from various industries across the U.S.).

Bridging the Diversity Divide with Education
SGI has organized several community volunteer and donation programs that address issues of diversity:

  • Mt. Pleasant Animation Magnet
    SGI has established an industry/education partnership with San Jose State University (SJSU) and the Mt. Pleasant High School Animation Magnet. This partnership taps into the potential of underserved, diverse youth and provides a pipeline from high school to college. SGI helped develop the curriculum, donated the equipment and provides ongoing training and support to Mt. Pleasant Animation Magnet. SGI linked Mt. Pleasant up with the SGI lab and animation program at SJSU. The teachers and students from Mt. Pleasant receive special mentoring from the teachers and students at SJSU and regularly attend the SJSU Animation Program classes in addition to guest lectures from experts at DreamWorks, ILM, Pixar, and Disney.

  • Teach for America Bay Area
    SGI is a major sponsor of Teach for America (TFA) Bay Area, whose mission is to close the achievement gap between low-income students and their peers at other schools. To that end, TFA has placed 140 well-trained, enthusiastic new teachers within four of the most diverse and underresourced school districts in Silicon Valley. SGI supports TFA with substantial financial donations and with donated office space at the company's headquarters.

SGI Supplier Diversity Program

Vision
SGI is committed to creating a global business environment that promotes diversity of its supplier base, including small businesses, minorities, women, veterans, service-related veterans, socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, and businesses located in HUBZones (Historically Underutilized Business Zones).

Background
SGI began its formal Supplier Diversity Purchasing Program in fiscal year 1994 to increase the utilization of small businesses.

Results vs. Goals (FY02): The overall goal for small businesses for FY02 was exceeded (22% goal and 24% results) or $102.1 million.

New Challenges

  • Higher goals
  • Small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) and HUBZone businesses must be SBA certified.

Key Strategies for Success

  • Sponsor SBA certification workshops for SDBs and HUBZone
  • Maintain the Supplier Diversity Buyer Recognition Program
  • Provide Supplier Diversity training
  • Forge stronger relationships with our major suppliers
  • Identify Supplier Diversity Champions
  • Establish Supplier Diversity goals and use results as performance measures
  • Maintain a strong Supplier Diversity outreach program

Training, Developing, Mentoring, and Protégé Program

  • Utilize Supplier Diversity firms as resellers and Solution Providers to market and sell SGI® products in the federal market
  • Utilize Supplier Diversity firms as integrators that provide solutions using SGI products to solve complex government problems

Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) SGI ratings

  • Fiscal year 2000--Acceptable
  • Fiscal year 2001--Highly Successful
  • Fiscal year 2002--Outstanding (the highest rating possible)

FY02 Recognition and Accomplishments

  • Fortune magazine ranked SGI among the top five companies nationally with the highest percentage of total purchasing from minority-owned businesses and No. 1 in Silicon Valley
  • SGI earned the "Outstanding High Tech Company of the Year (Corporate)" award at the seventh annual African American Excellence in Business awards ceremony held by the Black EXPO 2002 and Black Business Listings