Chevron Texaco: Working for suppliers

An exceptional information service for would-be suppliers.

The Site

ChevronTexaco, the US’s second-largest oil and energy company, has a central website that serves as the source of corporate content such as jobs and investors for its major brand sites. The About ChevronTexaco section includes a Supplier Diversity area that has a six-item menu of information about the company’s involvement with its small business suppliers and how to become one.

Included in the section are clearly written explanations of ChevronTexaco’s supplier system, FAQs covering how it works for suppliers, a registration form and separate contact details for the supplier diversity programme.

The Takeaway

US companies must by law attempt to increase the number of minority suppliers from whom they buy, and are accustomed to using their websites to layout their ‘supplier diversity’ policy. ChevronTexaco is exceptional in combining a high position for its supplier section on the website with comprehensive and practical information to guide would-be suppliers toward registering their details with the company.

The advantages in using the site as a supplier magnate mirror those of having a careers/jobs section: a low-cost way of attracting new contacts and reducing the administrative burden of the initial stages of a registration/application. ChevronTexaco’s ‘up-front’ and supportive approach also sends out a strong and positive message to potential suppliers about how seriously it takes the issue – and them. As so often, what you see on the website says an awful lot about how a company operates.

First published on 21 December, 2004