Macy's is one of the largest department store retailers in the United States, with roughly $24 billion in annual revenue and more than 500 store locations. It runs a supplier diversity program that has been active for decades, with sourcing relationships spanning merchandise, marketing services, construction, and store operations.
This guide covers the program structure, certifications Macy's recognizes, how to register, what categories they buy from diverse suppliers, and how to get a real meeting.
Macy's supplier diversity program
Macy's supplier diversity program falls under its broader "Mission Every One" corporate social responsibility framework. The company has publicly committed to growing spend with diverse-owned businesses, with a stated goal of $500 million in annual diverse supplier spend. That goal was publicly announced as part of multi-year commitments made following 2020.
Within the program, Macy's has specific initiatives targeting Black-owned brands and women-owned brands. The "Black-owned brands" initiative began with an accelerator component—Macy's ran a program called the "Black Vendor Development Summit" to source and scale emerging Black-owned businesses into its assortment. The "Workshop at Macy's" program is a retail vendor development program specifically designed to bring emerging, diverse-owned brands to market in Macy's stores and on macys.com. Workshop alumni include brands across fashion, beauty, and home.
The company is a member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), which are the two largest certifying bodies for corporate supplier diversity programs in the United States.
Which certifications Macy's recognizes
Macy's accepts certification from the following bodies:
- MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) — issued by NMSDC or one of its 23 regional affiliate councils
- WBE (Women's Business Enterprise) — issued by WBENC or one of its 14 regional partner organizations
- WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) — federal SBA certification
- SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) — VA or SBA certification
- LGBTBE (LGBT Business Enterprise) — issued by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
- DOBE (Disability-Owned Business Enterprise) — issued by Disability:IN
For product vendors specifically, the MBE and WBE certifications from NMSDC and WBENC carry the most weight because Macy's tracks spend reporting through those organizations' databases. If you're a product brand, get one of those two first.
Self-identification without third-party certification is generally not sufficient for formal supplier diversity tracking at Macy's. The company uses certified spend data in its annual reporting.
Where and how to register
Macy's uses Ariba, SAP's procurement platform, as its vendor management system. The entry point is the Macy's Vendor Registration Portal, accessible through the Macy's corporate site under "Working With Us" or by searching "Macy's vendor registration."
The registration process has two stages:
- Initial inquiry form — You submit basic business information, your diversity certification type, certification number, and the product or service category you're targeting. This gets you into the system.
- Full vendor onboarding — If there's a category match and a buyer expresses interest, you'll be invited to complete full onboarding in Ariba, which includes financial information, insurance certificates, compliance documents, and EDI capability details for merchandise vendors.
A few practical notes. Macy's receives a high volume of vendor inquiries. If you don't hear back within 60 days, a follow-up through a different channel (such as an NMSDC or WBENC relationship) often moves things faster than a second portal submission. The portal is a triage mechanism, not a relationship-building tool.
For indirect spend (services like marketing, facility maintenance, staffing, IT), the process is similar but goes through a different category manager. Indirect spend inquiries should reference the specific department or project you're targeting.
What categories Macy's sources from diverse suppliers
Macy's sources diverse-owned suppliers across three broad buckets.
Merchandise is the primary bucket. Within merchandise, the categories where Macy's has been most publicly active in sourcing diverse-owned brands are:
- Women's and men's apparel
- Beauty and personal care (fragrance, skincare, haircare)
- Home goods (bedding, kitchen, décor)
- Accessories and jewelry
- Shoes
The Workshop at Macy's program has historically focused on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands with existing product-market fit. If you're a brand doing $250K–$2M in annual revenue with retail-ready packaging, replenishment capability, and an established e-commerce presence, you're at the right stage to apply.
Indirect services is the second bucket. Macy's buys from diverse-owned firms in:
- Marketing and advertising agencies
- IT services and software
- Logistics and transportation
- Facility maintenance and construction
- Staffing and HR services
- Legal, financial, and consulting services
Packaging and supply chain is a smaller but real category. If you supply custom packaging, hangtags, display fixtures, or supply chain logistics specific to retail, Macy's sources some of that from diverse vendors.
Industry events and how to get a meeting
The two most reliable paths to a face-to-face meeting with Macy's supplier diversity staff are the NMSDC annual conference and the WBENC national conference.
NMSDC Annual Conference — Held in October or November each year. Macy's typically sends supplier diversity and merchandising buyers to this event. The conference includes a matchmaking session (sometimes called the "B2B Expo") where certified MBEs can schedule one-on-one meetings with corporate member buyers. Registration for MBEs is separate from general conference registration. You need to book your matchmaking appointment as soon as the portal opens—slots fill within days.
WBENC National Conference and Business Fair — Held in June. Similar format, with a Business Fair where WBEs exhibit and scheduled 1:1 procurement meetings. Macy's has been a consistent attendee.
Workshop at Macy's applications — This is Macy's proprietary accelerator for diverse product brands. Applications open periodically (historically in the fall). The program offers mentorship, coaching on retail readiness, and a path to store or digital shelf placement. Check the Macy's corporate site for current application windows.
NRF Big Show — The National Retail Federation's annual conference in January is where Macy's senior merchandising leadership appears. It's less structured for supplier diversity matchmaking, but it's an opportunity to build familiarity with Macy's executives if you're already in late-stage conversations.
One tactic that works: if you have an NMSDC regional council relationship, ask your regional council's program team whether they have a direct contact at Macy's. NMSDC councils maintain active relationships with corporate members and can often make a warm introduction that bypasses the cold inquiry queue.
Realistic timeline and first steps
Getting from first application to a purchase order takes six to eighteen months for most diverse suppliers at a company the size of Macy's. Merchandise vendors typically take longer than service vendors because of the product review, buyer approval, and EDI onboarding process. Service vendors in categories with active RFPs can move faster.
Here's a realistic sequence:
Month 1–2: Get your NMSDC or WBENC certification finalized. If you don't have one, the certification process takes 60–90 days. Do not submit to Macy's without it.
Month 2–3: Register in the Macy's vendor portal. Make your inquiry specific—name the exact category and why your product or service is a fit for Macy's current assortment or needs. Generic "we're a diverse-owned business looking for opportunities" submissions don't get responses.
Month 3–6: Attend a regional NMSDC or WBENC event. Get your company in front of Macy's supplier diversity staff. Bring a one-page sell sheet with your certification number, annual revenue, existing retail partners if any, and lead times.
Month 6–12: If you get a buyer introduction, expect a product review meeting or capabilities presentation. For merchandise, this may lead to a test order. For services, it may lead to inclusion in an RFP.
Month 12–18: First purchase order or contract.
The companies that move through this process fastest are the ones with retail-ready operations already in place. If you're a product brand, that means UPC codes, a distributor or 3PL relationship, and the ability to handle Macy's chargebacks and compliance requirements. If you're a service firm, it means carrying the required insurance levels and having EDI or e-procurement capability.
The bottom line
Macy's is a serious buyer for diverse-owned suppliers across merchandise and indirect services. The program has real dollar commitments behind it, and the Workshop at Macy's is one of the more structured retail accelerator programs run by a major department store. The path in requires a valid third-party certification, a specific category pitch, and patience with a process that moves at enterprise retail speed.
Start with your NMSDC or WBENC certification, register in the portal, and get to the next NMSDC or WBENC conference. That's the shortest line to a real conversation.
