• Harvard Business Review article “5 Things We Learned About Creating a Successful Workplace Diversity Program.” This article provides lessons learned, drawn from a cross-section of organizations, about what makes for a successful diversity program.
• Harvard Business Review article “Why Diversity Programs Fail.” This article investigates why businesses have failed to get results despite undertaking diversity initiatives. The author analyses data from 829 firms and includes review of tactics that do/do not work towards creating diversity such as targeted college recruitment, avoidance of negative messaging and punitive themes,  increasing contact with women and minority workers.

• The University of Chicago Quarterly Reports. The University provides access to its Inclusive Construction Initiate Quarterly BDP Reports, which track valuable information such as completion of MWBE contracting goals, payments to MWBE businesses, workforce diversity participation by hours worked and wages paid, and lists of diverse contractors and subcontractors and project performance. These Quarterly Reports can serve as a guide and inspiration for vendors to use in connection with structuring a business diversity plan. 
• Allegis Group, Insights. Sets forth best practices for workplace diversity, including clearly defined goals and metrics. 
• Human Resources Director. Diversity and Inclusion Best Practices to Follow: Article provides tips to help organizations achieve diversity and inclusion e.g., providing equal career growth opportunities, and targeted recruitment strategies.

• Hilton 2019 Supplier Diversity Program report. Contains a wealth of information and metrics used by this company to promote and measure diversity in the supply chain. The components of this BDP can be replicated by vendors to create their own programs.  Recognized as a best practice program, the report features how the company maintains clear metrics showing the number of and profiles on its diverse suppliers, the total diverse supplier spend, jobs created, and wages paid to diverse suppliers, diversity economic impact, etc.
• Corporate Quick Start Guide for supplier diversity developed by Semi. Semiconductor Equipment and Materials (Semi), is a global association serving the electronics manufacturing and design supply chain which developed a “supplier diversity DIY tool kit” to help businesses set up diversity supplier programs. The guide provides 5 basic steps to start a business diversity program, and other helpful resources.
• Supplier Diversity and Competitive Advantage. Graziadio Business Review. Sets forth key strategies for partnering with minority stakeholders to increase supplier diversity, including identifying and communicating with diverse suppliers and holding conferences and diversity events.
• Harvard Business Review: Why You Need a Supplier-Diversity Program includes commercial advantages to having a supplier diversity program.
• The Source: 8 Key Ways to a Successful Supplier Diversity Program. Clear guidance on how to establish a supplier diversity program. 

Guidance for Small Businesses. These resources spell out a clear action plan for how small businesses (SBs) can create a DE&I program, especially for businesses that were unaware of the need for one.

• B the Change: How Small Businesses Can Activate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plans Now
  
  • Studies from Pew and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce support the importance of SBs establishing a BDP, and shares tangible steps for how to create a more diverse work environment.
• The Blueprint: Diversity Management for Small Businesses