NaVOBA and Disability:IN Collaborate to Advance Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses
ECONOMIC NEWS: Disability Inclusion, Veteran Owned Businesses, Supplier Diversity
In honor of Veteran’s Day, the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) announced today a formal collaboration with Disability:IN, the global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business.
Under the agreement, NaVOBA and Disability:IN will work to enhance business opportunities for their respective certified service-disabled veteran-owned businesses by providing greater and easier access to their corporate buyer networks and professional development programs.
"As Board chair of NaVOBA and a certification committee member for Disability:IN, I couldn't be more excited to see these two organizations collaborate to benefit service-disabled veteran business owners," said Heather Herndon-Wright, Director, Supply Chain Diversity & Sustainability for Vistra Corporation, a leading Fortune 275 integrated retail electricity and power generation company based in Irving, Texas. "This collaboration represents the first true reciprocity between third-party certifiers for diverse business enterprises in Corporate Supplier Diversity."
"We're excited to bring the benefits of our renowned Disability Owned Business Enterprises certification to more disabled entrepreneurs. Working with NaVOBA, more service-disabled veteran-owned businesses will now be able to leverage our combined networks to activate new business opportunities. Furthermore, our corporate partners can access a wider pool of qualified service-disabled veteran-owned businesses as they work to cultivate more inclusive supply chains," said Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN.
The corporate supplier diversity community has expressed desire to see more collaboration among third-party certifiers, specifically when numerous diverse communities intersect. This cooperation brings together two advocacy organizations focused on helping the disability and veteran business communities by empowering service-disabled veteran businesses to grow and succeed by opening doors to competing for business with Corporate America.
This collaboration brings immediate benefits to Disability:IN's certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (SDV-DOBEs®) and NaVOBA's Certified Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (SDVBEs®) that opt in to the dual certification.
"NaVOBA has always sought opportunities to work together wherever and whenever possible," said Matthew Pavelek, NaVOBA President & CEO. "We're delighted to work with our friends and National Business Inclusion Consortium partners at Disability:IN. This agreement means that disabled veteran entrepreneurs can offer an additional certification to their corporate customers and list their businesses in another exclusive database at no additional cost or effort to them. It's a perfect example of a win-win-win."
About Disability:IN
Disability:IN is a global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business. More than four hundred corporations partner with Disability:IN to create long-term business and social impact through the world’s most comprehensive disability inclusion benchmarking and reporting tool, the Disability Equality Index (DEI); best-in-class conferences and programs; expert counsel and engagement; and public policy leadership. Disability:IN’s Supplier Diversity Program is the nation’s recognized third-party certification program for disability-owned businesses, including businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. To learn more, visit http://disabilityin.org
About the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA)
NaVOBA is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and two-thirds of NaVOBA’s Board of Directors seats are held by corporations to ensure its alignment with the needs of corporate supplier diversity programs. NaVOBA proudly serves as the official veteran-owned business partner of the National Business Inclusion Consortium (NBIC). NaVOBA provides a direct link for contracting between corporate America and Certified Veteran’s Business Enterprises™ (VBE) and Certified Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprises™ (SDVBE). NaVOBA’s mission is to create corporate contracting opportunities for America’s Veteran’s and Service-Disabled Veteran’s Business Enterprises (VBEs/SDVBEs) through certification, advocacy, outreach, recognition and education. For more information visit us on the web at
http://www.navoba.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/navoba and on Twitter @navoba.
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