Nissan Announces New Minority Initiative
11 June 1998
Nissan Announces New Minority Initiative in Conjunction With National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) ConferenceNissan Commits to Increasing Minority Dealer Representation 25 percent by 2002 HOUSTON, June 11 / PRNewswire/ - Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. announced today at NAMAD's board meeting a new minority initiative aimed at increasing minority representation in the company's dealer body, as well as a plan to increase diversity among the company's North American affiliates, employees and suppliers. The broad-based initiative sets specific targets for increasing minority representation nationwide. Among its minority dealer body, the company is committed to increasing minority representation 25 percent by the year 2002, with plans to double its African-American dealer count during that period. Specifically, Nissan has linked its regional executive compensation incentives to their performance in matching qualified minority dealer candidates with dealership appointments. Nissan also has established a minority operator task force and required minority consideration for all open points. "We at Nissan have always believed that having successful minority dealers is far more important to us -- and obviously to the dealers themselves -- than artificially pumping up numbers," says Mike Seergy, vice president, general manager, Nissan Division. "In fact, four of our nine African-American Nissan dealers were on the recent Black Enterprise list of 100 top minority dealerships." Nissan's supplier purchasing goals are equally aggressive, with plans to achieve at least a five percent ratio of expenditures through minority-owned suppliers by 2002. This includes parts used by Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) in Smyrna, Tenn. Nissan also intends to increase the number of minority-owned suppliers by 25 percent during that period. Nissan will request that its Tier 1 suppliers also meet the five percent goal. To oversee these diversity programs and ensure that all targets are met, Nissan also announced its plans to hire a corporate diversity manager which will be responsible for all North American affiliates. In addition, Nissan has appointed a manager of strategic representation, which will focus specifically on minority dealership appointments. These two managers, along with Nissan's regional vice presidents, will continue to work with NAMAD and the Los Angeles Urban League in cultivating minority dealer candidates. Nissan and its affiliates are committed to fair and equal opportunity in all facets of its business operations. Nissan is committed to a workforce representative of the diverse communities the company serves and from which its workforce is drawn. In North America, Nissan's operations include styling, engineering, manufacturing, sales, consumer and corporate financing, and industrial and textile equipment. Nissan in North America employs more than 20,000 people in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and generates more than 70,000 jobs through more than 1,500 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships across the continent. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissan-na.com.