Diageo North America Announces 2018 Supplier Awards

Diageo honors top performing supply partners at 8th annual gala

BALTIMORE, Nov. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Diageo North America, a global leader in beverage alcohol, announced its 2018 Supplier Awards during a gala celebration held at Diageo’s newly opened Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House on November 12. In its eighth year, Diageo’s Supplier Awards recognize supplier partners that have driven value for Diageo by delivering outstanding quality, partnership and performance.

“We established these awards nearly a decade ago as a way to demonstrate our appreciation to several of our valued suppliers,” said Erik Snyder, President, Diageo North America Supply & Procurement. “Our success relies on critical contributions our supply and demand partners deliver across our entire value chain, including exceptional quality, innovation and service.”

Awards were presented in nine categories, each representing specific supply and procurement criteria that positively impacted the company’s success in the past year and demonstrate strong commitment to Diageo’s business.

Categories and Winners:

• Supplier of the Year: City Brewing Company (La Crosse, WI)
• Quality Excellence: HUB FOLDING BOX COMPANY (Mansfield, MA)
• Service Excellence: Berry Global, Inc. (Evansville, IN) and Travel Leaders Corporate (New York, NY)
• Innovation Excellence: Flavor Producers, Inc. (West Hills, CA)
• Diversity Excellence: Axium Plastics (New Albany, OH)
• Value Creation: Gain Theory (London, England)
• Breakthrough Collaboration: CCL Industries, Inc. (Toronto, ON)
• Distinguished Honors – Special Projects: Ardagh Group, Metal – Beverage North America (Fishers, IN)
• Breakthrough Performance: Schawk, an SGK Group Company (Des Plaines, IL)

Category Descriptions:

Supplier of the Year: This supplier has delivered overall stellar performance and played a key role in helping to make Diageo one of the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Collaborative and proactive, this partner has driven value for Diageo by providing superior quality, service, innovation, and value. Award criteria includes outstanding industry performance, social responsibility, and commitment to safety, environmental awareness and sustainability.

Quality Excellence: This supplier has demonstrated outstanding quality of the goods and/or services to Diageo. Award criteria includes the supplier’s contributions to capability improvements, root cause problem solving, and Six Sigma methodology to create and sustain zero-defect processes and supply chains.

Service Excellence: This supplier has exceeded expectations in flexibility and responsiveness to meet changing supply chain requirements. This partner has also demonstrated a firm understanding of Diageo business needs and successfully delivered finished goods and/or services on time, in full, and as ordered.

Innovation Excellence: This partner has demonstrated brilliant execution with new Diageo innovations and product offerings. Partnering closely with Diageo on special projects, this supplier has provided breakthrough performance and speed to market despite demanding timelines and changing requirements. Award criteria includes the supplier’s impact on Diageo’s ability to achieve sales growth and market share gain.

Diversity Excellence: This supplier is a diverse enterprise that has exemplified outstanding performance in execution and value creation. This supply partner has demonstrated flexibility to align with continuously changing requirements and exemplifies Diageo’s mission to expand opportunities for diverse supplier enterprises.

Value Creation: This supplier has demonstrated the deepest commitment to Diageo’s continuous improvement culture while driving year over year cost reductions and overall value. This partner also helps Diageo create and maintain value creation through reliable performance, understanding of business needs and dedication to driving joint value.

Breakthrough Collaboration: This supplier has demonstrated a deep commitment to proactively identifying risks and opportunities in collaboration with key stakeholders across the business, while exhibiting exceptional communications capabilities and fostering an environment of teamwork.

Distinguished Honors – Special Projects: This supply partner has made a substantial, positive impact on one or more Diageo brands or critical projects, and demonstrated leadership by initiating and propelling new and creative project ideas on time, on budget, and through proactive risk and opportunity identification.

Breakthrough Performance: This supplier has successfully overcome challenging performance goals by delivering outstanding and measurable improvements in service, quality, and value.

About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, DrinkIQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

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SOURCE Diageo North America