CREW Network and Partner Real Estate Associations join together to expand supplier diversity opportunities

An industry-wide group of seven real estate trade associations announced an alliance to foster supplier diversity in real estate. The Commercial Real Estate Diverse Supplier (CREDS) Consortium aims to expand economic opportunities for businesses owned by minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) in the chain of providers that supply the real estate industry.

In addition to CREW Network, CREDS Consortium associations include ICSC, Mortgage Bankers Association, NAIOP, Nareit, National Multifamily Housing Council and the Real Estate Roundtable. CREDS Consortium associations will highlight tools that their members can use to identify, track, report, and procure products and services from MWBEs and companies owned by veterans, LGBTQ+ persons, and persons with a disability.

“As a global organization focused on accelerating success for all women in commercial real estate, CREW Network supports this partnership and initiative as an important business strategy to elevate ESG and DEI and create a more equitable industry for all,” said CREW Network CEO Wendy Mann. “Women- and minority-owned businesses are a driving force behind economic growth and bringing this diverse talent to the industry is a business imperative. Companies that increase their diverse spend also see an increase in innovation and market share. It’s a win-win.”

The CREDS Consortium has launched a two-year pilot program that will run through the end of 2024 with SupplierGATEWAY, a leading supplier management software platform and minority-owned firm that automates and simplifies supplier and vendor management. SupplierGATEWAY's products include supplier sourcing, registration, risk management, compliance, and management—and provide support for corporate social responsibility, diversity, and inclusion goals.

Members of the CREDS associations can subscribe—at a discounted price—to SupplierGATEWAY's software platform to search for, connect with, and potentially hire MWBEs as contractors, service providers, vendors, and joint venture partners. CREDS associations’ subscribing members can access the vendor management software and a comprehensive database of MWBE suppliers through the Consortium’s portal page, hosted by SupplierGATEWAY.

Hiring companies can also post their purchase orders and other contracting opportunities through the CREDS portal. Tools available on the platform that measure and track MWBE procurement spending will support companies that intend to advance environmental social, and governance (ESG) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals.

During the pilot program, the Consortium also hopes to gain broad insights into supplier diversity trends across the commercial real estate industry.

Visit https://creds.suppliergateway.com to learn more about the CREDS Consortium pilot program. An FAQ document can be found here.  

What CREDS Consortium partners are saying:

ICSC president & CEO, Tom McGee

• “ICSC is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the Marketplaces Industry and giving our members ways to identify and source MWBEs is one way we can do this. The CREDS Consortium helps meet the growing demand for diversity in service providers and offers our members direct access to the tools and resources they need to support their own DEI goals. We are proud to be a founding member of the Consortium and look forward to working closely with the partner organizations to further this important initiative.”

Bob Broeksmit, CMB, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association

• “The Commercial Real Estate Diverse Supplier Consortium is a great resource for expanding DEI and ESG opportunities in the real estate finance industry. Our members will benefit from the consortium’s work to identify minority- and women-owned suppliers that provide essential products and services. MBA and its members are dedicated to supporting and promoting supplier diversity.”

Marc Selvitelli, CAE, NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association

• “NAIOP is proud to be a founding member of this important initiative. By working together, we believe this powerful alliance of real estate associations can propel our member companies’ success in achieving their important ESG goals. Facilitating access to a minority- and women-owned supplier database is an important first step in creating future opportunities between diverse vendors and developers and owners of commercial real estate.”

Steven A. Wechsler, president and CEO, Nareit

• “Increasing the use of diverse service providers is an industry-wide priority that requires an industry-wide approach, which is why we are proud to be a founding member of the CREDS Consortium. The CREDS-SupplierGATEWAY partnership will enable Nareit’s members to leverage existing software and tools to more quickly increase diversity and inclusivity in their respective supply chains.”

Sharon Wilson Géno, president, National Multifamily Housing Council

• “As a founding member of the Consortium, NMHC proudly continues our longstanding commitment to DEI as a business imperative that drives innovation and success. NMHC knows that connecting more buyers with more sellers, and measuring those connections, are essential steps toward a more robust market that benefits both multifamily firms and MBWE partners that help power the industry. As an alliance, the Commercial Real Estate Diverse Supplier (CREDS) Consortium can amplify our efforts to strengthen industry access for diverse suppliers, and support the ESG and DEI goals of our members.”

Jeffrey DeBoer, president and CEO, The Real Estate Roundtable

• “Owners, developers, and financiers of commercial and multifamily real estate are committed to help minority, women, and other historically under-represented entrepreneurs prosper in our great industry. The CREDS Consortium can help our members realize their intentions to advance economic opportunities across the vast and varied supply chain that serves real estate, makes our buildings productive, and strengthens the fabric of our communities.”

Ade Solaru, founder and CEO, SupplierGATEWAY

• “Our partnership with the CREDS Consortium is an important component of our mission to generate meaningful economic impact at scale for our customers. Each member of the CREDS associations can now create meaningful social impact at the local level without sacrificing efficiency, cost or risk.”