City, partners commit to furthering business equity goals

City, partners commit to furthering business equity goals

Published on July 16, 2024

The City of Fort Worth continues to collaborate with key stakeholders to enhance business equity goals.

City officials, including leadership from the Diversity & Inclusion and Environmental Services departments, met with Waste Management (WM) executive leadership and Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce (FWMBCC) leaders to discuss business equity goals and how to coordinate better with partners.

Coordination between all partners stemmed from media coverage and public concerns following a May 14 City Council vote to amend the M/WBE component and other general terms of the existing contract between the City of Fort Worth and Waste Management of Texas Inc. (WM) regarding residential solid waste services, primarily curbside garbage, recycling, yard and bulk waste collections.

Following the City Council vote, some residents and community partners expressed concerns that WM and the City of Fort Worth were ending commitments to promote business equity in the community.

As WM and the City of Fort Worth work together to restore exceptional customer service and consistency within the City's residential collections program, teams remain committed to advancing opportunities for minority-owned businesses through business equity and recognize the unique set of circumstances that led to the need for contract adjustments.

Key stakeholders met on July 12 to develop an action plan. The team will reconvene in August to fine-tune its plan by developing a 30-60-90-day plan to address supplier diversity goals.

"Our meeting resulted in an across-the-board agreement with WM and the FWMBCC to further our goals and develop a win-win relationship," said Assistant City Manager Valerie Washington. "We see amazing opportunities to explore advances in business equity with our key partners. It's vital that we keep the lines of communication open and reach out to each other when issues arise."

"Our initial meeting with the City and WM teams was productive in that it put us on a path to connect potential suppliers to valuable work opportunities," said Michelle Green-Ford, FWMBCC president and CEO. "The detailed action plan will allow us to remain committed to address business equity goals."

The business expertise at the FWMBCC and the dedication of WM can create a valuable synergy that leads to a best-in-class business equity program that entities across the nation will look up to, Washington said.

"WM was pleased to share our sustainability vision regarding supplier diversity efforts with the City of Fort Worth and FWMBCC, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship to support small businesses and diverse suppliers in the area," said Domenica Farmer, vice president of WM of Texas Inc.

Watch for details about an event this fall that will bring WM, FWMBCC and potential suppliers together to advance business equity goals even further.

Photo: City officials join representatives of WM and the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce to discuss ways to enhance business equity goals.

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