Southport, CT:  OMNIKAL.com, the Nation’s largest inclusive business organization built to empower all entrepreneurs and corporations, will be holding its 18th annual online election for the “Omni50” , which are the top 50 US corporations who are awarding the most business to the growing, culturally diverse vendor/supplier marketplace, from December 1, 2017 – December 15, 2018.  The voting is open to all businesses in the United States. Last year over 2 million businesses had the opportunity to vote in the online election. The election results will be officially announced on Monday, January 15, 2018 at 12:00 EST on OMNIKAL.com.

The “Omni50” is recognized as America’s leading award for Fortune 500 corporations and Government Agencies for diversity achievements. Last year, AT&T was named the #1 Omni50 Award Winning Corporation. Other companies at the top of the winners list include: Wal-Mart, Northrop Grumman, IBM, Apple, Bank of America, Verizon, Raytheon, Kroger, Microsoft, MillerCoors, Nordstrom, UPS, The Coca-Cola Company and Cisco.  To view the full list of last year’s OMNI50 recipients, please visit our Awards Page.

Who are the Omni50?

The Omni50 is a ranking of the top 50 corporate buyers of multicultural products/services throughout the U.S. It represents the voice of over 2,000,000 privately held businesses in the OMNIKAL member community. The list is circulated by over 1,000 organizations, which reaches millions of consumers every year. Since 1999, it has become a highly valued metric of corporate excellence in reaching the Millennial Generation’s diverse and inclusive market.The Omni50 Awards have become the most recognized honor of their kind in the country. These award-winning companies truly differentiate themselves in the marketplace in a time when inclusion has become one of the most important goals of every organization. It is also at a time when public recognition is key to ongoing financial, ethical, social and cultural success.

“The inclusion practices of the “Omni50” Awardees have changed the course of our current economy and as a result, the world as we know it” said Kenton Clarke, Founder of OMNIKAL. “The changing multicultural and multi-generational landscape of our country has demanded this evolution. OMNIKAL is proud to have been a force in the business world for such positive change. Our mission and goal is to equalize, broaden and level the playing field for both brands and an increasingly varied vendor/supplier marketplace.”

Top Honors for Top Corporations Who Do the Right Thing

Most “top” lists honor companies for traditional economic growth, shareholder returns and similar metrics; however, the Omni50 awards are an indicator of which organizations provide the best business opportunities to the increasingly varied vendor/supplier marketplace. This, in turn, influences more corporations, as they compete for market share in multicultural and multi-generational communities. “Organizations that buy the most from diverse businesses through their Supplier Diversity Initiatives and who strive to continue developing mutually beneficial relationships should be recognized. This is a message worth spreading. And that is what we have accomplished through The Omni50 Awards.” said Michelle Van Otten, Chief Executive Officer at OMNIKAL.

The Business Power of Inclusion

As the culturally diverse Millennial market gains more buying power, corporations have to focus their efforts on rebranding and reorganizing to avoid losing market share and to remain current and relevant. The Omni50 list has therefore become the most critical guide for businesses as well as consumers. “As a business owner, I appreciate the business we receive from corporate buyers; and in turn, when I buy either personally or for my company, I am more likely to buy from the same companies that support my business or are supporting businesses like mine,” said Kathy Steele, principle of Red Caffeine headquartered in Elmhurst, Illinois.

About OMNIKAL

OMNIKAL was founded in 1999. Now the Nation’s largest inclusive business organization, OMNIKAL promotes entrepreneurship and the belief that entrepreneurs create real world solutions to today’s business and economic challenges. By fostering deeper and broader collaboration between business owners and entrepreneurial support organizations, the OMNIKAL network fuels healthier ecosystems through job creation, professional development and drives innovation resulting in strong economic growth.