San Francisco International Airport (SFO) recently bagged a prestigious national award for its initiatives to engage Small & Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. The Large Hub Inclusion Champion Award is the award from Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), representing commercial service airports across the United States and Canada. SFO Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet emphasized the significance of creating an accessible environment for small business owners, believing it strengthens the region’s community and enhances the airport experience. “We are grateful to ACI-NA for recognizing our commitment to this effort,” Nakornkhet said, per SFO’s press release.
Kevin M. Burke, the President and CEO of ACI-NA, lauded this year’s honorees for their leadership in inclusive practices and workforce growth. “This year’s honorees have shown true leadership in advancing inclusive practices, supporting workforce growth, and engaging with their local communities,” Burke told SFO. At the heart of SFO’s strategy is an intentionality toward economic inclusion by integrating equity into procurement practices. This has manifested in the airport awarding 18.71% of funds to small business enterprises in 2024 and promoting disadvantaged entrepreneurs in the airport’s concession program that, notably, earned 21.36% of all concession revenue in the fiscal years 2023 to 2024.
The strategic plan of SFO is multifaceted, touching on various aspects of accessibility and inclusion. For example, their Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program offers technical assistance to DBEs, and a task force works to identify and dismantle barriers in contracting. The program’s effects are measurable, with SFO exceeding many of its goals, such as its annual Car Rental Goals from 2021 to 2024 by 2.49%, according to the same SFO press release.
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