ITG Brands Recognized for Commitment to Supplier Diversity with the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce's Kathiann Lester Award

Recognition reflects ITG Brands' dedication to supporting underserved communities and jobs in the Piedmont Triad

GREENSBORO, N.C., Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ITG Brands today announced it has received the "Kathiann Lester Award" from the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes businesses that invest in the economic vitality of the Piedmont Triad region through the Chamber's Accelerate Greensboro initiative.

Accelerate Greensboro connects minority-owned suppliers with companies in need of their services with the goal of helping to contribute to the economic vitality of the region.

"At ITG Brands, creating an environment where everyone feels empowered, engaged, and connected is incredibly important – and by fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in all areas of our business, we're able to achieve that," said Kim Reed, President and CEO of ITG Brands. "We're so pleased to be recognized with Greensboro Chamber of Commerce's Kathiann Lester Award and look forward to continuing partnering together to support the progress of minority-owned businesses and underserved communities."

The program launched in 2017 and portfolio companies have since gained more than $11 million in increased revenue from their participation. Greensboro Chamber of Commerce's vision for the accelerator is to make Greensboro the nation's #1 destination for minority entrepreneurs to design and enhance their business.

"The Kathiann Lester Accelerate Award holds great significance for us at the Chamber, and we were determined that the inaugural recipient would be a company that truly embodies Kathi's passion for life and equality," said Greensboro Chamber President & CEO Brent Christensen. "ITG Brands stands out for its unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion across all aspects of its business. This dedication makes ITG Brands the ideal choice for this prestigious award."

ITG Brands' digital transformation enhances strategic focus on supplier diversity

ITG Brands' innovative, 5-year digital transformation strategy includes deploying technology and resources that enables a strategic focus on supplier diversity.  

This year, the company unveiled a new headquarters in Greensboro, further solidifying its commitment to the community. A core component of ITG Brands achieving a more connected space to foster a higher level of collaboration, productivity and innovation was partnering with diverse suppliers, such as:

• Inclusive Tendering Process: Inviting suppliers categorized as small and diverse to participate in a fair and robust tendering process.
• Minority-Owned Construction Investment: Spending nearly $2.5 million on construction costs with minority-owned companies.
• Diverse Supplier Support at Grand Opening: Celebrating ITG Brands' grand opening ceremony with the support of design, decoration, photography and videography being 95 percent minority business driven.

Additionally, ITG Brands consistently reviews its scopes of work to ensure it is not unintentionally excluding small and diverse businesses from participating in tenders that would otherwise be considered too large for them to compete.

To learn more about ITG Brands' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, visit https://www.itgbrands.com/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/.

About ITG Brands

ITG Brands is the third-largest company in its sector in the U.S. and a member of the globally recognized Imperial Brands PLC family. It is a part of a rich heritage of winning in the marketplace through forward thinking and operational integrity. For more information, visit itgbrands.com.

SOURCE ITG Brands, LLC