FAQs

Why become Certified? What are the benefits?
What corporations are members of WEConnect International?
What are the criteria for certification? Why is the 51% important?
My company is operated jointly between a female owner(s) and a male owner(s). Can it be certified? How many employees need to be women?
What is the process for certification? How long does the process take? Is there a fee involved?
Are certification fees refundable?
What is self- registration and how does it differ from certification?
My Company meets the criteria for certification but we are not ready to do business with major corporations yet. Is there a minimum size requirement or number of years in business?
A woman or women own less than 51% of my company? Can I still be involved with WEConnect International?
When does my certification expire?
Certification is not offered in my country/region. Can I still be involved with WEConnect?
What are the next steps after becoming certified?
What is Supplier Diversity?
I am already doing business with some of the corporations that are WEConnect members, why do I need WEConnect certification?
What can I expect when I contact corporate members?
As a United States WBE, certified through WBENC, what benefits do I receive by registering on the global database?
Why is self-registration not offered in the US/Canada?
As a US WBE, what access will I have to WEConnect International events?
As a WEConnect self-registered business or certified WBE, why do I not have access to the WBENC US database or portal?

Q1: Why Become Certified? What are the benefits?

A: Certified businesses receive many benefits including:

Company details in the WEConnect International global database that corporate members use to find new suppliers.
Opportunities to meet with procurement officers from member corporations – a growing list of top multinational corporations eager to diversify their value chains.
Training workshops on how to leverage your certification.
Coaching and mentoring from other certified companies on key success factors and strategies.
Publicity and visibility through WEConnect International global network and online portal.
Invitation to online forums presented by corporate members, with overviews of their procurement process and practical tips on responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
Opportunity to register for the dynamic annual conference of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the United States certification partner.
Inclusion in the regional conferences offered by WEConnect International currently opening up market opportunities in Canada, Europe, China and India.

Q2: What corporations are members of WEConnect International?

A: The WEConnect network represents over US$700 billion in annual purchasing power. Our members have a common goal: to advance women's business enterprises by providing access to knowledge and networks that lead to real business opportunities. Find a list of our Founding, Global and Local Members on our Corporate Member page.

Certification: Criteria and Process

Q3: What are the criteria for certification? Why is the 51% important?

A: To meet the criteria for certification, a business must be 51% owned, managed, operated and controlled by a woman or women. A woman or women must have made a substantial contribution of capital and/or expertise and the company must operate independently of non-woman owned enterprises.

The criteria are important to our corporate members for many reasons:

To maintain the integrity of their supplier diversity programs.
To increase the potential consumer market as women make the majority of purchasing decisions within households.
To achieving economic development and poverty alleviation goals worldwide as women reinvest their income in education, healthcare and food, which strengthens communities.

Q4: My company is operated jointly between a female owner(s) and a male owner(s). Can it be certified? How many employees need to be women?

A: Males can be involved in the ownership and management of the company as long as a woman or women have the ability to make independent and unilateral business decisions. There is no minimum number of women that need to be involved in the company as long as the woman business owner(s) has the final word on day-to-day operations as well as long term management and strategy.

Q5: What is the process for certification? How long does the process take? Is there a fee involved?

A: The process for certification is as follows. Once we receive a completed application and payment, the process can take up to 90 days. The fee is non-refundable and varies according to geography. Contact your local representative for fees in your location.

1.Apply online and submit payment via PayPal. (If there is not an online application available for your country/language, your local contact can provide you with the certification application and instructions for payment.)
2.Once the application and payment are complete, WEConnect International will review your application and forward it to the assessor(s) located in your area.
3.The assessor will contact you to schedule an on-site assessment at your place of business. Applicants should set aside 2-3 hours for the assessment during regular business hours.
4.The assessor will forward the Checklist for Applicants which details what documents you need to prepare for the assessment.
5.The assessor will review the documents and ask questions based on the review to ensure that your company meets the criteria for certification.
6.The assessor will forward the notes from the review and a recommendation to WEConnect International.
7.WEConnect International will provide the results of the assessment and contact the applicant with the appropriate documentation (certificate or reasons for denial).
8.Once certified, the company will be entered into the WEConnect International global database and receive opportunities for business development and training through the global network.

Q6: Are certification fees refundable?

No, the certification fee is a processing fee and is not refundable.

Q7: What is self- registration and how does it differ from certification?

There are millions of women-owned businesses globally that meet our certification criteria, yet due to geographic constraints certification is not yet available. Self-registration allows women globally (with exception to U.S. and Canada) to network, learn from and partner with other women-owned businesses. However, because self-registered businesses have not completed the certification process, they do not have access to our corporate members and procurement opportunities as certified businesses do. Self-registration is free of charge, unlike certification where we must charge for pre-screening and formal site visits to complete the certification process.

Q8: My Company meets the criteria for certification but we are not ready to do business with major corporations yet. Is there a minimum size requirement or number of years in business?

There is no minimum size requirement or number of years in business for a company to apply for certification. The certification process, however, should be viewed as an investment in the marketing of your company. If you do not have the time and resources to market your company and leverage your certification, you can self-register at no cost to become a part of the WEConnect global network. Self-registration allows women business owners who believe they meet the criteria for certification to become a part of the global network free of charge. Self-registered companies do not have access to the corporate members and procurement opportunities that certified companies have access to, however, they do have the opportunity to connect with and learn from other women business owners to educate themselves to enter global supply chains. If your company does not yet have the capacity to supply to major companies, self-registration allows you to be involved with the network as a means to start building your capacity.

Q9: A woman or women own less than 51% of my company? Can I still be involved with WEConnect International?

Currently, WEConnect International is an organization for businesses owned 51% or more by women. We work with other women’s business organizations that can offer different benefits of membership. If you contact us, we can connect you with other organizations in your area.

Q10: When does my certification expire?

A: Your certification is valid for one year. In order to keep your certification valid, you must be re-certified every year. The second and third years will likely not involve an assessment visit but you will have to submit updated paperwork and another processing fee for your certification. Your local contact will have more information about the relevant fees and timelines.

Q11: Certification is not offered in my country/region. Can I still be involved with WEConnect?

Self-registration also gives us data on the regions where certification services are needed and where WEConnect should look to expand. If your company does not yet have the capacity to supply to major companies, self-registration allows you to be involved with the network as a means to start building your capacity.

Leverage Certification as a Marketing Tool

Q12: What are the next steps after becoming certified?

A: Certification is a marketing tool for your company. In order to leverage certification effectively, you should:

1. Research which companies are good targets based on your capabilities, products and services.

2. Reach out to your local contact/assessor to identify which corporations are operating locally and target those companies that may have a need for your goods and services.

3. Participate in any local events, trainings, and matchmaker programs held by WEConnect International or affiliate organizations to begin the process of building relationships with key stakeholders.

4. Participate with WEConnect partner organizations who offer a broad range of services and trainings for entrepreneurs.

5. Where available, attend global WEConnect programs and events such as the WBENC national conference in June, the annual WEConnect Europe program and WEConnect Canada's conference in November.

6. Be patient. Building relationships in the corporate world takes time and depending on the sales cycle for your particular products and services it can take time for your contacts to become contracts.

7. Utilize the WEConnect WBE network. Connect with women business owners in your industry and other industries to learn about best practices and buy from one another.

Q13: What is Supplier Diversity?

A: Supplier Diversity is the term for a corporate program that quantifies spend with historically underutilized businesses such as ethnic minorities and women. Supplier Diversity originated within the US but increasingly US based and global corporations are expanding their programs globally. WEConnect's International members are primarily supplier diversity professionals whose job is to advocate on behalf of women business owners in order to increase utilization of these marginalized groups. While they may not be buyers of goods and services, it is their responsibility to ensure that diverse suppliers are included in the supply chain.

Q14: I am already doing business with some of the corporations that are WEConnect members, why do I need WEConnect certification?

WEConnect certification is an additional tool for your company to market to our member corporations, a list that is continuing to expand rapidly. Along with certification, WEConnect offers publicity and visibility for your company in front our growing list of member corporations. Your success story can provide opportunities for guiding and educating global women business owners on your best practices. WEConnect has the ability to help you expand your market and establish new opportunities. Our events offer member-networking opportunities.

Q15: What can I expect when I contact corporate members?

A: WEConnect International corporate members are supplier diversity professionals dedicated to supporting women business owners and are continuously looking for vendors that can offer innovative solutions while also helping them to meet their supplier diversity goals. Corporate members are very busy and can often not respond to your first attempt to contact them. Be persistent but also pleasant they are your route through to their procurement teams around the world and WEConnect is here to help you broker that relationship.

Global Portal

Q16. As a United States WBE, certified through WBENC, what benefits do I receive by registering on the global database?

1. Ability to network, connect, and partner with other global women business owners.

2. Information regarding trainings, events and business opportunities in WEConnect's global markets.

3. An opportunity to build relationships with corporate members outside the US.

Q17. Why is self-registration not offered in the US/Canada?

A. Self-registration is designed to create a pipeline of businesses in places where certification is new and education is needed about the benefits and requirements. Since companies in the US and Canada have had access to information about certification for several years, there is not a need to create a pipeline in those regions. Self-registered companies have access to other women business owners but many corporations require certification to access corporate contracts so there is still a distinct benefit to being certified in the US and Canada. Certified businesses receive all the benefits of self-registration, however self-registered businesses do not receive all the benefits of certification.

Q18. As a US WBE, what access will I have to WEConnect International events?

A. As a US WBE registered on the WEConnect Portal, you will have the opportunity to attend regional and international events at the discretion of the event planner based on the parameters and audience expected at the event. As a global organization, we are also inclusive to give all the WBEs the benefits of the relationships and networking WEConnect can provide.

Q19. As a WEConnect self-registered business or certified WBE, why do I not have access to the WBENC US database or portal?

A. WEConnect International provides a space on the global portal for US WBEs and corporate members that have an international focus. The WBENCLink US database is open only to US citizens, however if you are a fully certified WEConnect business and there are specific corporations within the US you wish to connect with please contact the WEConnect International office at info@weconnectinternational.org