Nissan, Urban League Form Partnership

Nissan Motor Corp. U.S.A. and the Los Angeles Urban League on Wednesday announced a partnership to help the auto maker increase opportunities for minorities and women, including boosting the number who own Nissan auto dealerships.

They will also work to swell the ranks of minority- and women-owned companies that sell things to Nissan, to get more minorities and women working at Nissan dealerships and to improve marketing to minorities and women.

“In the past, it has been difficult for minorities to access the necessary training and experience,” said Robert Thomas, president and chief executive of Nissan Motor Corp. U.S.A. “The Urban League will look at all aspects of our business--the procurement side, the marketing side--and give us some advice.”

Urban League President John W. Mack called the three-year partnership a “positive example of an affirmative action initiative that at the same time is a good business thing.”

Japanese car makers have long been criticized for providing few opportunities for minorities and women at all levels. Such criticism has only intensified since a sexual harassment scandal erupted earlier this year at a Mitsubishi factory in Illinois.

Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America and American Honda Motor Co. have also announced programs to attract more minority and female dealers. But auto makers have complained that it is difficult to find minorities and women with enough money and experience to run a successful dealership.

About 5% of Nissan’s 1,150 dealerships in the United States are owned by minorities or women, Thomas said.

The National Assn. of Minority Automobile Dealers reacted warily to the Nissan program, partly because the Washington-based organization was not consulted or involved in the process.

“The Urban League is a stellar organization and we salute everything they stand for, but they are not the experts on the auto industry--we are,” said Sheila Vaden-Williams, executive director of the 430-member trade group.

“We can supply them a list of qualified candidates right now,” Vaden-Williams said. “The import manufacturers are finding themselves in a place that the domestic manufacturers were in 10 years ago.”