P&G Inducted Into Billion Dollar Diversity Spend Roundtable.

The Procter & Gamble Company was inducted into the Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR) at a ceremony in New York City on May 19, 2005. The BDR is a top-level forum for corporations that spend $1 billion or more per year with minority and woman- owned companies, and is now comprised of 14 corporate members.

“P&G is honored to be included in this elite group of corporations that have each achieved significant spending with diverse suppliers,” stated Icy Williams, associate director, Corporate Supplier Diversity. “We look forward to increasing our spending in the coming years and to ongoing membership in this prestigious group,” continued Williams.

Don McKneely and Sharon Patterson, BDR co-founders, presented the award. “As a co-founder and host of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, I applaud P&G for their commitment to support minority and woman-owned firms and communities where they operate,” said McKneely. The combined BDR membership celebrated collective purchasing of over $24 billion in products and services from minority and woman-owned suppliers.

The members of the Billion Dollar Roundtable include Altria Group, Inc., AT&T Corporation, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, IBM Corporation, Johnson Controls, Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Lucent Technologies, The Procter & Gamble Company, SBC Communications, Inc., Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc., Verizon Communications, Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.