Supplier Diversity

We believe that the performance of our suppliers has a direct impact on the quality of our products and services. As such, we select suppliers based on quality, service, and value. Working with a diverse supply base strengthens our supply chain while maintaining both economic and social benefits. We believe it is important that our supplier base reflects the diversity of the communities in which we live, work, and trade.

Citizens partners with national and regional organizations that provide third-party public and private sector certifications. Some of the organizations listed below are approved to provide certifications, while others partner with advocacy groups to provide a full set of member services. Certifications from other similar organizations may be accepted on a case-by-case basis, but restrictions may apply.

In addition to our Partner Organizations (and their certifications) listed above, we also recognize certifications issued by:

• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
• HUBZone
• State and Federal Agencies

To qualify as a diverse supplier, the business must be headquartered in the US and be 51 percent or more owned, operated, and managed by someone who fits in one or more of following categories:

• Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
• Women Business Enterprise (WBE)
• Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE)
• Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (SDVBE)
• Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE)
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Business Enterprise (LGBTBE)
• Disability Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
• Historically Underutilized Business (HUB)

We constantly seek new and innovative ways to deliver more value to our customers while strengthening communities where we do business. We use the Ariba Network to send purchase orders and receive invoices from our suppliers. Potential suppliers are encouraged to visit Ariba where they can get additional information and register for an Ariba Network ID (ANID). Once suppliers have registered for an ANID and been invited to an engagement, Citizens Procurement Operations will reach out to provide further instructions on engaging with the bank through the Ariba Network.

Citizens seeks to amplify the positive impact of supplier diversity by asking our suppliers (companies that sell directly to our firm) to also do business with diverse companies. Our firm tracks the dollars of our suppliers spend with diverse businesses. We refer to this as Tier 2 spend. Tier 2 spend dollars can be measured in two ways: Direct and Indirect.

When suppliers engage diverse businesses directly on Citizens contracts and report the amount paid to diverse suppliers, we consider this Direct spend. Each 2nd tier dollar can be traced back to a specific diverse supplier and to a specific project.

Indirect spend is calculated by prorating the supplier's company-wide diverse spend with the percentage of its total business represented by Citizens Bank’s business.

We have a dedicated reporting system to enable our suppliers to report their diverse spend on a quarterly basis.

Here are the reporting schedule due dates:

Have questions? Email supplierdiversity@citizensbank.com for more information.