SIG is more than just an association…and it is more than a company that puts on conferences and events. At Sourcing Industry Group (SIG) we are creating the sourcing professionals of the future. The tight-knit collegial community of executives that belong to SIG and come to SIG events are passionate about raising the influence and capabilities of the industry as a whole.

SIG boasts a ratio of 75% buy-side members to 25% sell-side. In contrast to any other organization in this “space,” the majority of the SIG audience is comprised of Fortune/Global 500 buy-side executives…and the providers, advisors, technology companies and outsourcing companies allowed to join are best-in-class. The result is a collaborative environment where buy-side executives do not hide their nametags. There are no exhibit halls and active selling is not allowed. SIG events are about sharing best practices and next practices…they are about creating relationships that withstand the test of time…they are about holding dialogues that take people outside their comfort zone to explore new possibilities…and they are about showcasing what world-class organizations are doing.

While not being allowed to actively sell is at first a little hard to understand by new sell-side members, it is quickly embraced as they realize that the buy-side members are not reluctant to talk to them. In fact, they're very open to having discussions and debating topics, which results in the creation of long-lasting relationships. It is through this kind of thoughtful dialogue that SIG buy-side members learn to respect the providers and seek them out when there's an opportunity to work together. At the end of the day, building long-term relationships with global 1000 CPOs, CIOs and/or GBO executives is priceless and will ensure that your sales pipeline is filled for years to come.

According to Kate Vitasek, “What’s in it for WE” (or WIIFWE) is much more important than “What’s in it for ME” (WIIFME). “I would say that SIG members embrace the WIIFWE model as well, and the relationship between SIG and SIG members is a Vested relationship,” says Kate Vitasek, University of Tennessee professor. Relationships are considered “Vested” because they involve both parties having a committed and profound interest in each other’s success. Simply put, the parties are more successful when both are successful. "SIG has established the reputation for being the go to group for procurement executives to have creative dialogue on how to push the industry to a better place,” adds Vitasek. "I applaud SIG for their constant drive and commitment to challenge the status quo in strategic sourcing practices.”

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作者：Dawn Tiura, SIG CEO and President　编辑：李婉玲