UNIVERSAL WOMEN-LED™ CERTIFICATION

By certifying your business as a Universal Women-Led™ business, you are positioning your company as a company committed to closing the gender gap.

A Women-Led company is defined as an enterprise with a woman/women, with long-term control and management of the business, equity stake, and an active role in both strategic and day-to-day decision-making.

Criteria

• The company must have a woman as the founder, and a co-founder or in an executive position as the visionary or driving the direction of the business.
• Long-term control and management of the business – she must have been engaged in the operation, management, and ownership of the business for a minimum of one year.
• Active role in strategic decision-making – involved in elements related to the establishment of priorities, objectives, and goals for the business, along with overall operations of the business.
• Day-to-day decision-making of the company includes, for example, elements related to financial management, human resources, supply management, logistics, business development, marketing, or customer service.

VERIFICATION PROCESS

• Payment of Non-Refundable Processing Fee ($750 + tax Annually)
• Submit Online Application.
• Verification of Required Documents.
• Interview with a member of our Certification Committee.
• Once verified, you will receive a verification letter, certification logos (for your website, profiles, and annual reports), a certificate you may include with RFPs,  post in your workplace, social media cards and ID Guide.
• Application Process 2- 4 weeks (documents have been submitted and interview completed).

DID YOU KNOW …

• Certification allows businesswomen to increase visibility and connect to opportunities that otherwise may not be available to them — such as access to key supplier diversity and procurement executives.
• Approximately 97% of Fortune 500 companies have a supplier diversity program where they attribute a percentage of their annual spending to sourcing from under-represented diverse suppliers (including women-owned businesses).
• With these contracts available to diverse suppliers, it provides an invaluable opportunity for women to grow and internationalize their businesses.
• Gain the advantage of submitting RFP as many municipalities have mandates to support women-owned businesses. While it is not a guarantee, it separates you from the rest!

BENEFITS of CERTIFICATION

• Proudly market you are women-led to consumers, vendors, investors and partners
• Be a visible champion for women in business
• Attract top talent
• Opportunities for your business to increase revenue
• Access to opportunities to access capital to support women-led
• Connect and apply to work with buyers  and supplier diversity programs
• A consistent and reliable source of income from government grants or sub-contracting to companies who award contracts to women-led
• Brand your product or service with your Universal Women-Led certification logo
• Build awareness on the impact to the economy to support women-led companies
• Provide the consumer the benefit to show they support women-led with your certification logo on your website, email signature, service, or packaging on your products.

Step 1: Get Certified – Apply Below

 $ 750 – Non-Refundable (Annual) Processing Fee.  Includes Certified Universal Women-Led™ Certificate, Certification logos, Social Media Cards and Announcement). Annual renewal is required.

Applicants must complete the Online Certification application, submit a Sworn Affidavit, and pay a non-refundable fee. The application process is approximately 2-4 weeks from the date you apply to submit all documents. Annual renewal is required.

Once Certification has been approved, you will receive verification as a Certified Universal Women-Led™, certification logos and a certificate for use to identify your products and services.

Annual certification includes:

• Annual dated Certificate to include with your documents or proposals
• Annual Announcement on social media
• Annual Business Directory Listing

STEP 2: Get Visible! Market Your Brand

According to the stats, women-owned businesses only make up 16%  of businesses. Social Media has only 26% combined focus on promoting women in business!

We are empowering leaders to tell their stories and be the face of their brand and thought leaders within their organization. Get visible with the following additional marketing opportunities to increase your brand exposure, put a face to your product or service, and increase your SEO and thought leadership.

Behind the Brand Marketing Package – Click here to Market Your Brand

• UWomen Magazine™ (digital magazine) – one-full page feature in our upcoming issue.
• Business Directory Listing in the UWomen Magazine™
• EmpowerHER Spotlight on UWN on our site* (min one week)
• Homepage Slider*
• Social Media Campaign*

UWN  Members receive 10% off: Are you a member? Become a Member.

Top Companies locally, nationally, and globally are supporting women-owned businesses just to name a few.

• Accenture, Bell, BMO, Campbell’s Soup, Coca-Cola, Exxon, General Mills, General Motors, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Pepsi-Co, Proctor and Gamble, RBC, Rogers, TD Bank, TOYOTA, WALMART.