Women Owned Business Certification

Does NAWBO certify businesses?

WBENC Certification Process

Why be Certified?
The WBENC certification for women-owned businesses is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications in the nation. Accepted by over 700 major corporations across the country and a number of federal and government agencies, your WBENC certification will be an important marketing tool for expanding your company’s visibility among decision makers in corporate supplier diversity and procurement.

Special programs and initiatives developed by WBENC also provide certified WBEs with added information, training and resources for growing their business opportunities in both the public and private sectors. Moreover, WBENC exclusive initiatives like WBENCLink, WEBuy, the Accelerator Program are designed especially for certified women’s business enterprises.

Criteria for Certification
1. Fifty-one percent ownership by a woman or women.
2. Proof of effective management of the business (operating position, by-laws, hire-fire and other decision-making role.)
3. Control of the business as evidenced by signature role on loans, leases and contracts.
4. US Citizenship or US Resident Alien Status

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NWBOC Certification Process

NWBOC provides a national certification program for women-owned businesses. The certification, called “Woman Business Enterprise” (WBE) Certification, ensures that a private, for-profit company is truly owned and controlled by a woman or women.

• First, most local and national government purchasing agencies track and/or have programs for doing business with women business owners. Having WBE Certification is the only way the purchasing agents have confidence that a business representing itself as woman-owned is in fact woman-owned.
• Second, in a similar manner many publicly-held corporations, as well as larger private corporations, also track and have programs for doing business with women-owned vendor companies. They, too, rely on WBE Certification.

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