A well-known Canadian supplier of promotional apparel has been recognized for her commitment to fostering a more diverse supply chain.

Kathy Cheng, president of Redwood Classics Apparel (asi/81627), received the Procurement Business Advocate of the Year Award at the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC) Business Achievement Gala on Sept. 29 in Toronto. This award acknowledges individuals’ dedication to supplier diversity via outreach and advocacy.

Kathy Cheng, Redwood Classics Apparel

“I am profoundly honored to receive this recognition for my steadfast, decade-long commitment to advancing diversity within supply chains,” said Cheng. Redwood Classics, a Tier 2 supplier in the promo industry, is certified woman- and minority-owned.

The event, held at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto with the theme “Legends: A Celebration Honoring Excellence in Supplier Diversity,” also recognized seven other individuals and companies committed to establishing a more diverse supply chain – honors included the Social Good Award, the Collaboration Award and Supplier of the Year. Harriet Michel, former president of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, delivered the keynote address.

Cheng received the Procurement Business Advocate of the Year Award at the CAMSC Business Achievement Gala in Toronto.

“Supplier diversity has been and continues to be a catalyst for positive change,” said Cassandra Dorrington, president and CEO of CAMSC. “[It encourages] ongoing engagement and collaboration, resulting in over 1,600 national and regional corporate [CAMSC] members and 12,000 certified Minority Business Enterprises with collective annual sales surpassing $100 billion.”

Cheng is a member of the Promo for the Planet advisory board and was a panelist on a recent diversity & inclusion webinar hosted by ASI. She was also a guest on the Promo Insiders podcast, where she spoke about the “triple bottom line” – people, planet and profit – as a model for sustainable businesses.

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