NGLCC Industry Impact Groups

Overview 
The NGLCC Food & Beverage Impact Group is working to support, educate, serve & influence corporate members and suppliers in food manufacturing, food distribution, food service, retail, travel (hotels, airlines), healthcare and restaurant businesses. The goal of the group is to bring visibility and build a foundation for this growing facet of the NGLCC family without adding additional responsibilities or time constraints to its members.  

Chairs 
Corporate: Debra Quade (she/her), Supplier Diversity Manager, Kellogg Company.

Overview 
The Pharma, Healthcare, Life Sciences, & Bio/Med Tech Impact Group is dedicated to the vast array of supply chain and supplier development opportunities with the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. The group comprises more than 30 industry-specific corporate partners and key LGBTBE leaders with a mission to create opportunities for LGBT entrepreneurs, networking, matchmaking, education and capacity building. 

Additionally, this group is a vital part of NGLCC’s advocacy and public policy work. Working with industry leaders, the group promotes equity, inclusion, and pro-small business initiatives that benefit the entire marketplace, as well as promoting access to affordable, equitable healthcare that recognizes socioeconomic disparities. 

The group focused on four key areas: 

• Marketing / Advertising / Communications 

• Staffing and Logistics 

• Event Production 

• Manufacturing 

Overview 
The NGLCC Marketing & Related Services Impact Group is targeted at increasing opportunities for the vast array of supply chain and supplier development opportunities within the marketing, advertising, PR, and related services sector.

With over 23% of the NGLCC supplier base representing companies in these categories, the group comprises both key corporate partners and industry-specific Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (LGBTBE) leaders with a mission focused on creating opportunities for LGBT entrepreneurs, networking, matchmaking, education, and capacity-building. 

The resource group will focus on these key areas within Marketing Services: 

• Marketing 

• Advertising 

• Public Relations  

• Market Research 

• Related Services (Social media, AV, Photographers, Printers) 

Marketing Services Project in Partnership with Professional Partnering Solutions 

Approximately 23% of NGLCC certified companies provide services in the areas of advertising, marketing, PR, market research, and related services, but many are not currently working with corporate brands. Part of the goal of this group is to identify the causes for this lack of opportunity and develop solutions that will result in more sourcing with NGLCC Certified businesses while building and strengthening contacts and capabilities.  

In pursuit of this goal, the NGLCC Marketing & Related Services Impact Group has partnered with Professional Partnering Solutions, a trusted NGLCC Corporate Partner, on a project aimed at gaining insight on how to increase corporate diverse spend with LGBT suppliers in the marketing and related services sector. PPS has done so via data collection and review, as well as conducting interviews with suppliers and corporate members to assess their approach to advertising and marketing firms used and opportunities for LGBT firms to be a part of those supply chains. 

Through this project, the group aims to greatly improve the relationships between NGLCC Corporate Partners and Certified LGBTBE® firms in marketing and related services. 

Overview 
Diversity in the construction industry is such an essential priority that many of the nation’s largest firms and development companies now join over 1/3 of the Fortune 500 to actively include NGLCC Certified LGBTBE® construction and related industry companies when seeking diverse suppliers, talent, and innovative ideas to build a more inclusive economy. NGLCC currently promotes 100+ Certified LGBTBE suppliers in the construction industries and growing. 

The NGLCC Construction & Related Services Impact Group aims to:  

• Create new avenues of opportunity for contracting, consulting, partnerships and more for Certified LGBTBE® suppliers in construction, design, architecture, furnishing, infrastructure and the related industries and fields 

• Increase the number of construction and related industry firms as both Certified LGBTBE® suppliers and as NGLCC corporate partners, and to establish local engagement opportunities for affiliate chambers 

• Host multiple construction industry roundtables & matchmaking sessions in key cities with major public/private sector opportunities, including SF, NYC, Chicago, and more 

• Represent the LGBT business community at a wide array of industry trade conferences and association meetings, educating attendees on the economic impact of Certified LGBTBE® suppliers and the importance of including them in supply chains 

• Create educational collateral and expand corporate partner participation within the NGLCC & its affiliates by directly engaging construction agencies/prime suppliers, corporate facilities/physical plant decision makers, and supplier diversity teams to promote utilization of NGLCC certified construction and related industry professionals 

Overview 
The mission of the NGLCC National Legal Industry Impact Group (NLIIG) is to promote supplier diversity efforts within the legal profession and to increase business opportunities for Certified LGBTBE® law firms and legal service providers to work with NGLCC Corporate Partners and establish a referral network of legal services in the LGBT business community.  To address the need for competitive and innovative services of NGLCC corporate stakeholders, the NLIC bridges in-house counsel, supplier diversity professionals, law firms, and NGLCC’s extensive network of suppliers. 

The NGLCC National Legal Industry Impact Group aims to: 

• Create new avenues of opportunity for contracting, consulting, partnerships and more by opening membership of the NLIC to include all pro-LGBT law firms, Certified LGBTBE® suppliers in the legal professions, and certification-eligible legal services providers 

• Host multiple legal industry roundtables, CLEs, and networking opportunities with all NLIC members nationwide to promote contracting opportunities  

• Expand geographic presence and programming to the West Coast and deep South 

• Expand corporate partner participation and engagement opportunities within the NLIC by directly engaging in-house counsels and supplier diversity teams to utilize NGLCC certified legal professionals 

• Increase the number of law firms as NGLCC corporate partners through the National Legal Partnership program 

• Continue to develop a relationship with NAMWOLF and other legal organizations which now include Certified LGBTBE® law firms in their diversity hiring and contracting opportunities 

• Engage in educational and networking opportunities with legal service providers and firms that are members of other diverse certifying agencies such as WBENC and NMSDC 

Co-Chairs 
Supplier: Nancy Mertzel (she/her), Principal & Founder, Mertzel Law
Corporate: Cynthia F. Towers (she/her), President & CEO, JURISolutions  

Questions? Reach out to: legal@nglcc.org 

Overview  
The NGLCC Retail and Merchandising Impact Group is a space dedicated to fostering collaboration and innovation between industry leaders, retailers, and suppliers to connect, share insights, and collaborate on optimizing supply chain processes, improving efficiencies, and driving growth.  

As one of the top 10 industries represented by NGLCC Corporate Partners and with nearly 300 suppliers actively engaged, the Retail and Merchandising sector is a thriving cornerstone of our community. The goal of the group is to empower our members to navigate the evolving retail landscape, strengthen partnerships, and unlock new opportunities for long-term success. Through a combination of hands-on workshops, exclusive networking events, and sharing best practices, our members gain the insights and tools needed to stay competitive and drive innovation. 

The resource group will focus on these key areas within Retail and Merchandising: 

• Marketing  

• Manufacturing 

• Retail and consumer trends 

• Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing