Standard Motor Products Joins Automotive Diversity Center

Standard Motor Products (SMP) has joined the Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion and Advancement (CADIA) to continue deploying initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), the company announced. Founded in 2017, CADIA is a non-profit organization with the mission of doubling the number of diverse leaders in the automotive industry by 2030.

“Led by automotive industry veterans from diverse backgrounds, CADIA is a well-respected organization in our industry, and we are excited to be a new member. Our continued success as a valued automotive supplier relies on fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce,” said Eric Sills, chief executive officer and president of Standard Motor Products. “We strive to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in our policies and practices because we believe an equitable environment of diverse people, working together, aids our success, and we gain the benefit of different ways of looking at our business, which leads to innovation.”

For this reason, SMP recently launched a DE&I taskforce to focus on internal initiatives that will help drive change, the company said.

Through workshops, roundtable series, educational academies, events and more, CADIA drives change and provides its members with best practices and trends on talent system redesign, equity, inclusion and employee engagement, the organization said. With members from the automaker, supplier, dealer, association and economic development communities, CADIA’s members are able to hear from all aspects of the automotive value chain while finding common ground and exploring leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion themes.

“We look forward to working with Standard Motor Products to help them accelerate their DEI journey,” said Cheryl Thompson, founder and CEO of the Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion and Advancement. “Companies that work toward creating truly inclusive cultures will naturally experience more employee engagement and will be able pull from a greater talent pool of individuals eager to work for an organization that celebrates their differences and is eager to harness the diversity of thought that this brings. Companies like SMP will benefit – and it benefits the overall industry as well.”