WHY YOU NEED A
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM
We are America’s Original Veteran Certification Program Accepted By The Corporate Supplier Diversity Community
A brief History of Supplier Diversity
The practice of supply-chain diversity took root formally in American business starting in the late 1970s when the federal government began to promulgate regulations for the procurement and contracting of goods and services to benefit small, disadvantaged, or minority business enterprises. Public Law 95-507, sponsored by the late Representative Parren J. Mitchell (D-Maryland), was enacted in October 1978.
It set the stage for what would be a broad-based CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT movement aimed at business inclusion for diverse suppliers.
The National Minority Supplier Development Council, (NMSDC).
Founded in 1972, The National Minority Supplier Development Council,
(NMSDC) grew out of the events that followed the death of Martin Luther King in
1968. It should be noted that the growth of minority inclusion in public-sector
supplier diversity is a part of the dream outlined in King’s “I Have a Dream”
speech.
NMSDC certifies communities of color: Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Black,
Hispanic, and Native American. NMSDC is supported by 23 Regional Affiliates
nationwide which are the backbone of their certification program.
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
Founded in 1972, The National Association of Women Business Owners grew out of a group of a dozen like-minded businesswomen in the D.C. area who gather to share information and create an atmosphere of a professional community. They were incorporated as the Association of Women Business Owners (AWBO), and became NAWBO in 1976. Their certification program was launched in 1995.
WBENC was formalized in 1997 by three women business owners who met to
start a new nationwide women-owned business organization in the early-1990s.
Each was certified as a woman business enterprise, by a regional affiliate of
NMSDC before the NMSDC stopped certifying based on gender, preventing the
group from certifying non-minority, women-owned businesses enterprises.
The women were also members of NAWBO.
National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
2012 NVBDC creates the rationale for Veteran-Owned businesses to be included in Corporate Supplier Diversity programs. The presentation includes data on economic disadvantages, educational disparity, and career hindrances.
The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) was established in 2013 to address the growing need to identify and certify both service-disabled and veteran-owned businesses (SD/VOBs) in the commercial (corporate) marketplace. The NVBDC administers a rigorous certification process designed to withstand the scrutiny of governmental and corporate entities seeking to utilize certified SD/VOBs. The NVBDC adopted these rigorous standards to align with
supplier diversity industry best practices.
In April 2014, NVBDC completed its Certification process testing in conjunction with representatives from GM, Ford, Chrysler, Kellogg’s, WBENC, NMSDC, VBOC, SCORE, and the VA. RECEIVING THEIR COLLECTIVE APPROVAL, NVBDC launched its certification program while it worked on completing its online certification program- released nationally in June 2015.
Billion Dollar Roundtable
accepts SD/VOB’s Certified by NVBDC
Due to the advocacy of the NVBDC, the BDR members voted to include Service Disabled and Veteran Owned Businesses (SD/VOBs) certified by the NVBDC in their qualified SUPPLIER DIVERSITY spend.
The NVBDC is the only certifying organization that will qualify Veteran business diversity expenditures for BDR audits at this time.
Certification for these groups (service-disabled and veteran-owned) is required.
National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
“This incredible next step in recognizing and accepting our certified SD/VOBs changes the entire market. The NVBDC is honored to have been named by the members of the BDR as their accepted SD/VOB certification body. To fully understand what this means to our veteran business owners; they must now accept their responsibility to adopt and embrace the corporate certification standards. We cannot stress enough that Veteran Businesses must realize the corporate certification standards are different than what the SBA offers. Self-certification is obsolete and with this announcement the BDR has made it clear that certification of SD/VOBs must meet their “best practice” corporate standards”, said Keith King, NVBDC Founder and CEO.
bENEFITS OF sUPPLIER DIVERISTY PROGRAM AND NVBDC CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP
Participation in a nationwide information and referral network helps your Company to meet Federal Government veteran business subcontracting requirements, and allows you to market to an increasingly loyal consumer group.
Veteran-owned businesses (VOBs) hire more veterans. Using Veteran Owned businesses enhances corporate diversity goals, and demonstrates support of the contributions military members have made on behalf of our country.
As the Original Veteran Business Certification Agency, NVBDC provides corporations access to a proprietary cloud based searchable database which enables Supplier Diversity Managers easily find Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses by industries, locations, capabilities and various NAICS codes.
Access to a nationally-recognized, stringent certification program that can assist you in identifying legitimate SD/VOB’s within your supply chain for accurate reporting.
America’s Original Veteran Certification Program Accepted By The Corporate Supplier Diversity Community
Assistance with the development or expansion of your Supplier Diversity program through the NVBDC Services Committee that offers webinars to help you achieve your supplier diversity goals, share best practices, and connect you with other Corporate Members who have world-class supplier diversity programs.
For more information about becoming a member and to learn more about event sponsorship opportunities, please use the form or contact us directly using the information below.
