Minority- and Women-Owned Business Certification Process Is Worth the Challenges

Becoming certified as a Minority- and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) has numerous benefits, including access to federal contracts, networking opportunities, mentoring, and financial programs. Sabrina St. John, CEO of Empower 360 Group and a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant, briefed interested cleaning business owners on the requirements, benefits, and challenges of obtaining a MWBE certification during an education session at ISSA Show North America on Wednesday.

“An MWBE certification enables everyone to get a piece of the pie,” St. John said. “It increases diversity in the workforce and offers opportunity to underrepresented communities.”

For all its benefits, there are several barriers to MWBE certification, St. John said. First, people have a lack of awareness of the certification and the benefits it brings. For those who are aware of the certification, the complexity of the application process can be discouraging. “You need a lot of documents, and it can be very time-consuming to gather them,” St. John explained.

Many cleaning organizations are small and have limited administrative capacity to help them through the application process. Add financial restraints and fear of being rejected and many qualified businesses are ready to give up on the process.

St. John led ISSA Show attendees through the five-step process of obtaining a MWBE certification.

• Step one: Determine your eligibility. This step entails ensuring you meet specific business ownership and demographic requirements. “Your business must be at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman and/or minority,” St. John explained.
• Step two: Gather all the required documents. These documents include personal and business tax returns, proof of ethnicity and gender, business licenses and permits, and bank signature cards, among others.
• Step three: Complete the application. St. John explained that applicants need to submit the application through a certifying agency.
• Step four: Complete a site visit or interview. This visit will often entail certifying representatives visiting your business to verify control and operations. “It does not matter if you run your business out of your home or an office, you still must complete this step,” St. John said.
• Step five: Enjoy final approval. Once approved, you’ll receive a certificate and be listed in official databases. “The day I received my certification was even more exciting than the day I received my college diploma,” St. John said.