For International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2022, Márcia Balisciano, Global Head of Corporate Responsibility at RELX speaks to Jean Chawapiwa and Sara Bodison about the importance of developing diverse supply chains.
Jean Chawapiwa is Head of Member Services at MSDUK (Minority Supplier Diversity United Kingdom) since September 2021, heading a team that manages the portfolio of over 100 private and public sector corporations who are members of MSDUK, and also manage the portfolio that identified and certifies Ethnic Minority owned businesses in the UK. Prior to this, Jean was Country Director, WEConnect International in South Africa for six years.
Jean is an entrepreneur who managed her own business for over eight years, working with global and local corporations across many countries in Africa. She is one of few women who have reached the top in the African mining industry, serving as Vice President Africa in the external affairs, government relations, and communication portfolios of Rio Tinto, Barrick Gold & Placer Dome. Jean has also sat on the board of the Advisory Council of Mining Dialogue 360 and was
Jean was previously a Non-Executive Director and Chairperson for Junior Achievement Africa. She is an Angel Investor as part of an all women investment group known as Dazzle Angels, a female focused Venture Capital Fund, that is led and funded by experienced business women.
Sara Bodison is the Director of Supplier Corporate Responsibility and Risk at RELX, where she is responsible for developing and managing processes that ensure suppliers adhere to ethical rules, including through a comprehensive Supplier Code of Conduct. Sara is passionate about promoting diversity within RELX's supply chain and through her 13 years with the business, she has become a specialist in marketing services procurement, strategic planning and management, and supplier relationship management.
We are grateful to all our fascinating podcast guests for taking their time to share their thoughts and hopes with us. Inevitably, given remote working, there may be occasional sound interference – which does not detract from our speakers’ insights.
