Organizers want regional organizations to work more with companies owned by minorities and women, which they say comprise more than half of all small businesses in the U.S.
Rachel Talton is CEO of Synergy Marketing Strategy and Research, one of the partners behind the forums. She says in a year, they'll do a survey to see how well the message took with local companies.
"We'll be looking to see how many contracts were let, how many firms have been able to grow to scale, and how many friendships, partnerships, and collaborations have come about, because of this," says Talton.
One presenter from University Hospitals said having top administrators on board with inclusion efforts, and setting goals can help. She said during UH's "Vision 2010" building initiative, 7 percent of contractors and suppliers were owned by women, and 17 percent were owned by minorities.