Chrysler, 2009 CAMSC Corporation of the Year

It was hard to believe, in the beginning of the year, when American manufacturers were struggling to stay afloat, that any time soon either GM or Chrysler will be named "best" at something, let alone best company, or corporation, or group...

Yet, it happened, as the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC) decided to name Chrysler "Corporation of the Year".

"Diversity and inclusivity are critical components to the success of corporate Canada, both for workforce retention and growth, as well as supply chain renewal and innovation," Orrin Benn, CAMSC president said when announcing the award.

The main criterion behind the naming was the fact that, in the last few years, Chrysler has "increased its procurement to Aboriginal and visible minority-owned businesses in Canada to more than US $464 million."

Loosely translated, Chrysler's programs managed to connect minority suppliers to the manufacturer's Tier 1 supplier community. Basically, Chrysler opened a lot of doors for the respective suppliers...

“Chrysler Group has worked for many years to build and strengthen our minority supply base,” Kevin Bell, Chrysler Diversity Supplier Development manager added.

“Chrysler Group has and will continue to create opportunities for Canadian Aboriginal and minority-owned suppliers in Canada because these businesses are often the most nimble, innovative and resilient in confronting the challenges and opportunities of today's global automotive marketplace."

Otherwise, Chrysler keeps performing well in Canada, registering sales increases month after month. In September, the manufacturer's numbers shown a 10 percent increase over August, with October sales expected to be even better.