WBE Canada Magazine Issue 1

Issue 1 | March 2021

CANADA NEEDS A FEMINIST SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT STRATEGY GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Tips & Strategies from Canadian WBEs

BUYING WITH PURPOSE

Canadian Women Brand

Message from the President 2020 became a defining year for Canadian womenowned businesses, testing them on all levels. Yet, again and again, we read accounts of incredible resilience, astounding pivots, continued successes and even unforeseen growth. Canadian women business owners face continuing challenges to be heard, be seen, to be included and to be considered equal. Incredibly, 2020 provided new opportunities for inspired innovation, alternative choices, a more diverse and competitive marketplace and above all realization of an effective and resourceful community of Canadian enterprises ready and able to answer a call.

The WBE Canada community, our women-owned businesses, our corporate and government members, our partners and supporters understand that to be successful, to be effective you need a strong sense of community. Over this past year we have undertaken to work together, to learn from each other, to understand each other’s needs and offerings, to survive in a virtual world out of necessity, to embolden our way of doing business and raise our hand and say “we can do that”. WBE Canada’s community of womenowned businesses continues to grow at an incredible pace in all industry sectors and across this entire country. Corporations and government organizations are seeing first hand the knowledge, the resourcefulness, the innovation that women entrepreneurs can bring to their supply chains.

opportunities lined up for the coming months. As always, we invite you to share with us your input, your ideas, your stories, your successes and the lessons you’ve learned.

We look forward to continuing to lead our communities to success through knowledge, shared sense of purpose, advocacy and determination to gain equality in answering the call of opportunity that lies ahead… and to be inspired.

I invite you to explore these pages, meet some of the leaders of our WBE and Corporate communities who have inspired us all, learn how our Canadian Women Brand will support Made in Canada products by women-owned businesses, explore ways that you can support Canadian women-owned businesses, meet the members of our Board of Directors, read stories and tips from members of our WBE community and find out more about the amazing events, networking and learning WBE Canada Magazine | Issue 1 | March 2021

Thank you!

SILVIA PENCAK President | WBE Canada

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IN THIS ISSUE March 2021 Writers & Editors Judy Carswell, Sharon Ferdinands Contributing Writers Barbara Orser, Lisa Haydon Designers Grassick Graphic Communications www.GrassickGraphic.com WBE Canada Contact Details Editorial queries and submissions marketing@wbecanada.ca General queries - concierge@wbecanada.ca WBE Certification - mbianchi@wbecanada.ca Corporate Membership cgrosz@wbecanada.ca Sponsorship - cgrosz@wbecanada.ca ©️WBE Canada, March 2021 https://wbecanada.ca

The WBE Canada Magazine is a quarterly magazine designed to connect our communities, empower Canadian women entrepreneurs and inspire Canada’s corporate and government organizations in their supplier diversity initiatives.

To subscribe for the subsequent issues of the magazine, click here.

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BUYING WITH PURPOSE: Canadian Women Brand

BEYOND THE ACCOLADES: Advice from WBE Canada’s 2020 Award Winners

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BUILDING A BRIGHTER TOMORROW: Q&A with WBE Canada’s Government Members

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GROW YOUR BUSINESS Tips & Strategies from WBEs CANADA NEEDS A FEMINIST SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT STRATEGY

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THE HIGHS AND LOWS FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: A Check in With WBEs

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WHO’S WHO AT WBE CANADA IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Buying with Purpo Canadian Women Brand

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omen-owned businesses in Canada are growing at a rapid pace and are becoming increasingly prominent, with a 30% increase in women-owned businesses in the last ten years1, and statistics clearly show the huge impact that they have on Canada’s economy. However, time and again, the question arises ‘Why is it important to support Canadian women-owned businesses?’

GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY

Including women-owned businesses in your supply chain makes your supply chain diverse and inclusive which in turn results in increased customer satisfaction, higher revenues, better employee retention, more robust supply chains, and increased access to new markets. With an innate sense of innovation and problem solving, they have a remarkably faster turn-around time, are more flexible to making changes or tweaks midway if required and are not afraid to try new things!

There is an unparalleled opportunity to unlock economic growth by supporting women entrepreneurs. Supporting Canadian womenowned businesses and tapping into the immense potential that they have, could reenergize Canada’s economy and its businesses, adding about $150 billion in incremental GDP by 20262.

When you buy from a women-owned business, it enhances the economic stability of their families and communities. They are able to create jobs, grow wealth, and give back in so many ways. A strong, successful, independent woman entrepreneur sends a positive message to young women as they develop their leadership skills and map out their futures. But further, women-owned businesses give back to their communities, mentoring, volunteering, sponsoring programs and initiatives helping us raise healthy and strong youth, support the sick and elderly, and tackle the most difficult challenges in the communities. Buying from women-owned businesses is in a way putting money back into the economy - and allowing it to stay in the local economy - right where it will make the biggest impact.

DIVERSIFIES YOUR POOL OF SUPPLIERS Buying from women-owned businesses makes your supply chain diverse and inclusive. It gives you an additional pool of suppliers who traditionally don’t have visibility or access to your business or organization - ensuring that you benefit from the best products and services available. By working with a women-owned business you also showcase your company’s commitment to supplier diversity, working with small and local businesses and furthering economic growth in local communities.

PROMOTES INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Women-owned businesses are creative, agile and innovative. Supporting women-owned businesses helps in making our markets more competitive,

Buying from women is good for your business!

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ose: WBE Canada works with companies and organizations of all sizes helping them establish the necessary policies and processes to become more appealing to women-owned businesses and other diverse companies. We have tools and support to help you improve and diversify your supply chain no matter how small or large is your spend.

interesting and unique. They are also known to think differently and have a unique perspective which can lead to more creative energy which, in turn, leads to improved problem solving. Startups owned by women tend to be more creative and employ a diverse workforce.

During the pandemic, the creativity and innovation of women-owned businesses has been proven repeatedly. Women-owned businesses made quick decisions, changed the way they interacted with their customers, switched to online shops, revamped their manufacturing processes to develop PPEs and other essential products and just stayed strong and firm in their resolve to continue and succeed.

In fact, over half (55.0%) of businesses majorityowned by women introduced new ways to interact with or sell to customers to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with 49.7% of other businesses. Furthermore, over one-third (34.0%) of businesses majority-owned by women reported that they modified their products or customer services to adapt to the pandemic, compared with over one-quarter (27.4%) of all businesses in Canada3.

CERTIFIED WBE BADGE If your organization is an existing Member of WBE Canada, you have access to our WBE Database - a list of verified Canadian women-owned businesses.

We will be happy to share the category list to help you find the right supplier for your upcoming project or initiative.

Visiting and supporting women-owned businesses can make more of an impact than you know.

If your organization is not a Member of WBE Canada, look for the Certified WBE Badge on the websites, RFP responses and email signatures. Let us know that you are interested in buying from Canadian WBEs and we will be happy to partner with you.

You don’t need to wait for your organization to make a move to a formal supplier diversity program. Utilize your department budget to buy from Canadian business women, look for “Canadian Women Brand” logo for your personal or family purchases.

Today, women entrepreneurs are transforming economies, but they can only do it with your support. Which leads us to our second most commonly asked question, ‘How do I support women-owned businesses?’

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Buying with Purpose… cont’d.

CANADIAN WOMEN BRAND LOGO Are you planning a strategic planning meeting for your team or marketing campaign for your project? Or planning to go shopping or your weekly grocery run? Look for products that have the Canadian Women Brand logo on it or check WBE Canada website for more information. The logo indicates that the product is not just ‘Made in Canada’ but also ‘Made by a women-owned business’. Every purchase

made, helps in supporting our Canadian womenowned businesses and in turn the Canadian economy at large.

Here are some more ways to support womenowned businesses.

By supporting women-owned businesses you will be able to fuel your level of impact, you will be integral in making a difference and helping our women entrepreneurs grow and succeed.

Start today!

Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Employment by class of worker The Power of Parity: Advancing Women’s Equality in Canada; McKinsey & Company, June 2017 3 Impact of COVID-19 on businesses majority owned by women, May 2020 - Statistics Canada 1 2

In a year when flexibility and adaptability are the new normal, the value of diverse perspectives and innovative problemsolving has never been more crucial.

An inclusive workforce is essential to overcoming challenges and achieving goals—and when we invite different voices to the table, we all succeed as one.

Now more than ever, DCM is committed to fostering diversity and ensuring access to opportunity across our organization.

We believe in the mission of WBE Canada, and applaud its continued efforts to create the kind of workforce that makes our whole country stronger.

DIVERSITY MATTERS MORE THAN EVER

DCM is a proud partner of WBE Canada

THE BRAND BEHIND YOUR BRAND

www.datacm.com linkedin.com/company/datacm

Beyond the Accolades:

ADVICE FROM WBE CANADA’S 2020 AWARD WINNERS At WBE Canada’s 2020 Annual Conference, we had the privilege of showcasing and celebrating outstanding achievements in supplier diversity amongst our certified WBE community and our corporate and government member organizations. Each finalist and award recipient is truly a champion, driving impact and demonstrating excellence and above all moving the needle on awareness of the importance of diversity, inclusion and supplier diversity in growing the Canadian economy. 2020, more than any other year, has shone a light on just how resilient and aspirational women-owned businesses have been in the face of the pandemic and how corporations have continued to show their support and continued to enact upon their goals of diversifying their supply chains in the face of disruption and ever-changing demands, including regulations and legislation.

As our Excellence Award recipients move forward in 2021, and with a lens on what they have experienced in the past year, we asked them what their key piece of advice would be, as WBEs and as corporate and government organizations, to fellow women-owned businesses and women entrepreneurs in general. Specifically, we wanted to know the role certification has played in helping women-owned businesses grow and succeed and the importance it plays as

Canada’s major corporations and government organizations look to economic recovery through the diversification of their supply chains.

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BECAUSE GIFTING MATTERS.

“A single piece of advice we would give to women entrepreneurs considering certification is... don’t wait. WBE Canada not only bridges opportunities to create sales opportunities, it is also a platform to learn and grow from where you are today.

Wonderkind was a brand new business when we certified in 2019. Right away we felt such encouragement and mentorship from other WBEs and corporate partners. This was invaluable to us as it strengthened our mission, built our confidence to take on new challenges during a pandemic and access to enriching resources through the WBE Canada Network”, said Tara Cochrane and Shawna Pereira, Founders + Creative Directors, Wonderkind Inc., Winner, WBE Canada’s 2020 Top Supplier.

“Being WBE certified is a MUST as a woman-owned business – no need to think twice, the value far outweighs the cost and effort” shares Jennifer Menard-Shand, Founder & CEO, Staff Shop Inc., and winner of the 2020

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Rising Star award. “Positioning yourself as a diverse supplier will open doors others would not have access to, and more importantly, you’ll be giving back to a community of women who all have one thing in common: to serve and help each other grow. What you give comes back tenfold in life.”

“Be Fearless”

says ANDREA ROBINSON, President & CEO, Robinson Global Management Inc. and recipient of the 2020 WBE Leader award. “Being fearless means to get certified when you are not sure of its value; being curious through your participation in supplier diversity community events and activities and educating yourself for the benefit of your team, business and your own community. Be fearless through your active registration with corporate and government partners and in your preparations for first meetings.

Be fearless when the small wins and big wins come your way.

Don’t worry about how you are going to do something huge with less or do less with so much more to give - be creative, reach

Beyond the Accolades… cont’d.

thoughts, ideas and collaborating with other WBEs encourage us to highlight that a rising tide lifts all ships”. MICHELE BAILEY, President My Big Idea & Blazing Design, recipient of the 2020 WBE Leader award.

out to your community for suggestions; partner, negotiate and be spectacular. When all your hard work pans out remember that your job does not end here. The WBE community needs you as an advocate, support and service or product provider for women-owned businesses.”

And from MARTE BELISLE, President, SommEvents, recipient of the 2020 WBE Leader award: “Don’t be afraid to get involved. It is my involvement with WBE Canada and the Supplier Advisory Committee that has helped me to get in front of the large corporations and has garnered me some pretty big pieces of business. As with any other membership, you will get out of it what you put in. It does mean a commitment of time, to participate in the organization, and that is the ticket to the dance, and by the way, it is also so great to spend time with some pretty fantastic people and other business women”.

But it’s not just the WBE Canada Certification Badge that opens doors. It’s the long-term commitment to growing your business through learning and networking opportunities and being part of an organization that is leading the way in making sure women-owned businesses are not just considered, but winning contracts with big businesses.

REDWOOD CLASSICS APPAREL was the recipient of the 2020 President’s Award. Kathy Cheng, President of Redwood Classics and committed champion of women entrepreneurship and supplier diversity shares her advice:: “My best piece of advice is to be engaged with this community as much as possible. Some of your greatest opportunities will be forged with people outside of large corporations and there are so many fellow WBEs that you can collaborate with to create something magical and meaningful. But also remember that when YOU have the opportunity to develop your personal and professional skills, your business thrives right alongside you. Keep investing in yourself and building your leadership acumen, and your business will continue to grow.

And always pay it forward by helping the next generation of WBEs. There is room for all of us to thrive!”

“As a woman business owner, I am well aware of the hurdles we face, but also of the incredible opportunities that lie before us. I believe in women and their ability to transform the world, and am convinced that solidarity, empowerment, and collaboration are the key to our collective success. I am a certified WBE and currently in the role as Chair of the Supplier Advisory Committee (SAC). I look to leveraging my expertise as a business owner to create and support exciting new programs for WBEs and corporations alike. I am dedicated to acting as a facilitator by helping our member corporations access an extraordinary and ever-growing community of women and by helping our WBEs scale their services to meet an ever-growing demand. Together, we can do amazing things.” MARYSE BENHOFF, President BG Communications International Inc., recipient of the 2020 WBE Leader award.

“10 years ago, I was the first woman in Canada to certify with WBE Canada because I believe strongly in the mission to include minority owned businesses, such as women-owned, a place at the table in the hopes to secure an opportunity to earn business consideration with corporations that support Diversity & Inclusion. Sharing 8

WBE Canada’s corporate and government members continue to see the incredible potential that Canada’s women-owned businesses can bring to their supply chains. By opening their doors to some of the most innovative women enterprises this country has to offer, they are not only contributing to their bottom line, but helping foster the economic recovery of the country. Here’s their advice:

commitment that we’ll continue to advocate for an inclusive environment, challenging the status quo and championing for what is right. To the womenowned business leaders, our voices may need to be louder to be heard, and with a direct and confident approach, we will further demonstrate the value and perspective you bring. Let’s work together to be sure you are heard and seen.”

MIKE PACHOLOK, Chief Procurement Officer at the City of Toronto and recipient of WBE Canada’s 2020 Supplier Diversity Leader award has been directly involved in developing a policy which resulted in the City adopting its Social Procurement Program in 2016 and tirelessly championing diverse suppliers. “Becoming certified in order to stand out as a diversely owned business is a great thing to do so that you can be recognized and noticed among various organizations who are trying to build back better in their own way”.

TD BANK was recognized at this year’s Annual Conference as a Procurement Leader for having supported and partnered with WBE Canada since 2010 as well as receiving the award as WBE Canada’s 2020 Most Improved Supplier Diversity Program. Michelle Albanese, Head of Responsible Sourcing and Supplier Diversity | Strategic Sourcing Group (SSG) shared: “The world around us is continually changing. Businesses both large and small should always be adapting to meet the needs of its customers. My advice to WBEs is: Keep adapting your businesses and building your expertise. Make your ‘value-add’ so evident that it can’t be ignored”.

ACCENTURE, one of WBE Canada’s founding corporate members was awarded the 2020 President’s Award. On behalf of Accenture, Dora Silva-Bolanos, Senior Manager, Supplier Inclusion and Sustainability shared: “We saw the importance of women-owned businesses during the pandemic. Many of the WBEs in Canada were immediately providing PPE equipment to first responders. My advice would be to continue to show your ability to be agile, resilient and change agents. One of my favourite quotes is: ‘The fastest way to change the world is to mobilize women’ – Charles Malik.”

BDC, a long time advocate of WBE Canada, and a member since 2018 was the recipient of the 2020 WBE Canada Champion Award. Laura Didyk, VP Client Diversity, shares her advice - “By working together, women entrepreneurs can go further, faster. Now, more than ever, lean into your network for advice, resources and support. There is no one size fits all solution because every business has different needs so don’t be afraid to ask for assistance and know that BDC and WBE Canada are part of your network to help you not just survive, but thrive in the new normal”.

RBC is a founding member of WBE Canada and winner of the 2020 Top Corporation in Supplier Diversity award. Natalie Marchesan, Global Head of Procurement, shares: “The last year has created opportunity for personal and professional reflection, and as we continue on both the economic recovery and advancement of women, there are some commonalities to both. We must continue to be tenacious and perseverant, whatever comes our way. As business leaders, it’s a WBE Canada Magazine | Issue 1 | March 2021

WBE Canada’s Excellence Awards are much more than a shout-out to those WBEs and Corporate Members who have risen to the challenges and moved the needle forward on supplier diversity.

Their contributions have significantly impacted not only the Canadian women-owned SME community, but also the recovery and growth of the Canadian economy.

Read more about our 2020 Excellence Awards Winners.

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Building a Brighter Tomorrow At its 11th Annual Conference in November 2020, Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada) launched its pilot Government Membership Program designed to encourage Canada’s public institutions to formally adopt supplier diversity as a way forward to grow the Canadian economy.

Canada’s public organizations have long recognized that diversity and inclusion drive growth and innovation and that entrepreneurship is key to economic prosperity. It is a fact that companies and organizations with diverse supply chains perform better and enjoy better employee retention. WBE Canada has worked closely with larger corporations since 2009 but it wasn’t until 2016 that it welcomed its first public service member – The City of Toronto.

Triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the stark reality that women and women-owned businesses were hit harder by the pandemic than other organizations, conversations emerged around the necessity of inclusion of WBEs in supply chains across the country and especially in public service organizations. Thus, WBE Canada’s Government Membership Program was launched, reducing the cost barrier and embarking on a plan to encourage government organizations across Canada to adopt supplier diversity programming and commit to make a difference for Canadian WBEs. WBE Canada currently has five Government Members: City of Toronto, City of Brampton, BDC, EDC and Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) – Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME). We had a conversation with each member to find out how WBE Canada is helping them develop and carry out their Supplier Diversity Programs.

WBE Canada Magazine | Issue 1 | March 2021

MIKE PACHOLOK

Chief Procurement Officer, City of Toronto

WBE Canada: What do you see as the key component to the City of Toronto’s Supplier Diversity Program and how has being a WBE Canada Corporate Member helped in its success?

Mike: The key component to the City’s program is providing access to small and medium sized certified diverse businesses to City opportunities up to $100,000 by inviting at least one certified diverse supplier to compete against two other suppliers. Being a corporate member of WBE Canada has helped by being able to meet and encourage women owned businesses to get certified and to bid on City work through the numerous events that WBE Canada holds to educate, encourage and celebrate women entrepreneurs.

WBE Canada: It’s been 5 years since the City implemented its Social Procurement Program, including the Supplier Diversity Component. What do you see as its greatest success?

Mike: The greatest success is how our program has shown to be a game changer in Canadian government sector, educating both internal staff who have realized the value that diverse businesses can bring, and also educating other government entities that implementing a Supplier Diversity Program is possible and necessary so that we can drive inclusive economic growth throughout Canada.

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LAURA DIDYK

Vice President, Client Diversity, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

GINA REBANCOS

Director, Purchasing, City of Brampton

WBE Canada: BDC is wholly owned by the Government of Canada with a mandate to help create and develop Canadian businesses through financing, venture capital, growth and transition capital and consulting services. What do you see as the biggest benefit your membership with WBE Canada has provided?

WBE Canada: City of Brampton is the second Canadian municipality to join WBE Canada as a corporate member. What precipitated the decision to adopt a formal action plan to address diversity and inclusion in the City’s procurement practices and why WBE Canada?

Gina: Brampton is a Mosaic, and diversity and inclusion are embedded in all of our City services, including our procurement. The new Supply Chain Diversity program is an important step towards supporting more women, Indigenous, LGBTQ2S, and minority-owned entrepreneurs in doing business with the City of Brampton. Becoming a Corporate Member of the WBE Canada Community demonstrates the City’s commitment to learning and growing the ways in which we engage and support diverse businesses, which is especially important during the pandemic and road to recovery.

Laura: As the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs, we have made it a priority to support the growth and success of women entrepreneurs (WEs) at every step of their journey – and we are here to help women-owned businesses go further.

But we cannot do it alone. We need trusted partners like WBE Canada whose extraordinary job and relentless commitment is not only helping companies grow and access new markets, but also helping organizations like ours create the type of supplier diversity program that allows us to connect and engage with more WBEs and build inclusive procurement practices that create long-term value for our clients and our communities.

WBE Canada: What would be your one main advice to women-owned businesses looking to do business with the City of Brampton?

WBE Canada: What is your most important advice to women-owned businesses as we head towards post-pandemic recovery?

Gina: The City of Brampton is creating equitable access for small and medium businesses, including but not limited to, women, Indigenous people, visible minorities, veterans, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S-owned organizations and social purpose enterprises, to bid on City procurement projects and do more business in Brampton.

Laura: At BDC, we recognize the unique challenges when it comes to starting or growing a business, from accessing capital and resources to finding mentors and champions to support you. And while COVID-19 has tested all of us, we believe it also brought out the best in us. Creativity, innovation, and inner strength. It’s inspiring to witness the steadfast persistence and resilience of women entrepreneurs. The future for many industries has never seemed so uncertain, yet we see bold leaders remain focused on creating new opportunities for their companies, clients and employees, as they plan for the future. We know these are challenging times but know that we see you and are here for what’s ahead to help you succeed.

And we’re not the only ones. So, ask for help.

Eligible diverse suppliers should be certified by one or more of the non-profit Supplier Certification Organizations the City is a member of. We encourage these groups, including women-owned businesses, to participate in the City’s transparent and fair procurement process, and to learn more at www.brampton.ca

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JENNIFER COOKE

Manager of Inclusive Trade, Export Development Canada (EDC) WBE Canada: What are the first steps a womenowned business should take when considering expanding outside Canadian borders?

Jennifer: Taking the first steps towards exporting can be daunting, especially for women entrepreneurs.

The first step is to use the mindset you had to develop your business and apply it to finding success abroad. Next is education – building the knowledge and skills to export with confidence, followed by building connections, both with organizations that can help and opportunities with organizations internationally. The final step is to seek the financial tools to make it happen.

WBE Canada: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic especially on Canadian women-owned businesses has been profound. How is EDC helping Canadian businesses, whether they export or not, on the road to recovery?

Jennifer: EDC’s goal throughout the pandemic has been to act swiftly and effectively, helping the highest possible number of Canadian businesses operating domestically and internationally. We have been working alongside our federal partners, including the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Canadian financial institutions, providing support to export and - following the Government of Canada’s decision to temporarily expand EDC’s mandate – non-exporting companies.

SUPPORT CANADIAN WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES THROUGH YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN

LEARN MORE AND BECOME A WBE CANADA MEMBER

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LOUIS-MARTIN PARENT

Regional Director, Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) – Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) WBE Canada: PSPC’s Office of Small and Medium Enterprises became a WBE Canada corporate member in 2019. What do you see as the biggest benefit your membership has provided?

Louis-Martin: The role of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) is to work to make federal procurement more accessible to smaller and diverse Canadian businesses. Our membership with WBE Canada has given us valuable insight into Canadian women-owned businesses and allowed us to reach women entrepreneurs across the country with information on federal procurement. It has also helped us develop new approaches to increase their participation in procurement opportunities.

suppliers), data services, WBE Database as well as opportunity to educate suppliers on your policies and promote your procurement opportunities across our network. For details and more information contact: Catherine Grosz, Manager, Corporate Memberships at cgrosz@wbecanada.ca

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WBE Canada: Canada continues to reel from the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic and we know that more than 61% of womenowned businesses have lost contracts, customers and clients since March 2020. How does your office intend to move forward and support WBEs as we move toward economic recovery?

Louis-Martin: Procurement will play an important role in ensuring a quick, inclusive and full recovery of the Canadian economy from the pandemic, and increasing supplier diversity is a key part of generating economic opportunity. With the help of WBE Canada, OSME will continue to engage with women-owned businesses to enhance their understanding of how to sell their goods and services to the government, to develop initiatives to reduce barriers, and to increase their participation in federal procurement.

It is time for Canada to start buying from Canadian women-owned businesses! Being a WBE Canada “Government Member’’ enables participating public organizations to access the many resources like training, consulting, networking (with peers and

IT’S BUSINESS AS Get access to Export Development Canada’s financial solutions and expert advice.

Visit EDC.ca

RBC believes in full economic inclusion RBC is an inaugural member of WBE Canada.

Together, we embarked on a journey for progressive inclusion of suppliers.

This is part of RBC's commitment in support of full economic inclusion for all.

rbc.com/diversity

® / TM Trademarks(s) of Royal Bank of Canada.

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We’re opening doors for an inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.

TD is proud to support WBE Canada to help create a more inclusive supply chain as part of our corporate citizenship initiative, the TD Ready Commitment. td.com/supplierdiversity td.com/tdreadycommitment

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Grow Your Business

Starting your business or thinking of ways to grow or scale your business? These business tips from our community of certified Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) cover everything you need to know!

ELIZABETH VANDERTUIN Architect, OAA XCI Design + Architecture Stay with your long-term strategy. By committing to your strategy and controlling the impulses that can push you off course, you will ultimately achieve success.

SHANNON BALLARD VP, Customer Innovation, Jan Kelley People want to help. Don’t ever be intimidated to reach out to your network. Be clear about what you need, what problem you are looking to solve or what’s holding you back. Don’t shy away from asking people to connect you with others, or if they know someone who could share their experiences.

MARYSE BENHOFF President and Founder, BG Communications International Inc. When starting a company with a partner, have a partnership agreement within the first 3 months of operations and always make sure there is a majority partnership owner.

SOULA TSAKANIKAS CEO, A.R.S. Assessment Rehabilitation Services Ltd. Believe in yourself and never give up. If you fail or lose a contract keep going until you find success again.

TERRI DAVIS President & CEO, ProFound Talent Focus on Success vs Failure.

Believe and focus on your business being successful instead of worrying about failing. It takes a lot of courage to change your mindset. Take a leap of FAITH and BELIEVE. Let your mantra be “failure is not an option” and saying it to yourself will allow you to give in further to drive revenue and create networks, connections, etc.

KIM THIARA President, Acetronic Never be comfortable with the status quo. It’s when you are comfortable in your business that you DON’T grow. By taking yourself out of your comfort zone you will expose your business, and yourself, to areas of growth you may never have imagined. Growth and comfort do not coexist.

CHARMAINE HAMMOND & REBECCA RESCH Raise a Dream Training & Consulting Inc. One way to grow and scale your business in 2021 is to seek opportunities to collaborate.

Collaboration within your own business, with external stakeholders and with other organizations not only expands your community, it can support growth, scaling and enhancing the work you do.

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CHARMAINE HAMMOND President, Hammond International Inc. Leading teams remotely, on virtual platforms and in times of frequent and rapid change can be a challenge at the best of times.

Conflict and communication breakdowns are likely to surface.

When it does, don’t wait to communicate to navigate difficult conversations and conflict online or in person.

EMILY HEISLEY STOECKEL Chairman, The Heico Companies, LLC Be nimble and build resiliency into your supply chain and organization. During the 2020 crisis, companies that had built flexibility into their supply chains were able to pivot long before the pandemic became a reality.

Consequently, they were able to continue to support their customers and take advantage of new market opportunities.

JANA ZAIBAK Founder and President, Nomz Believe in yourself and trust the journey. Dreams + Grit = Success.

Grow Your Business…continued TERI-LYNN DEMPSEY CEO, DataGuide Technologies Inc. Resources, resources, resources. They are out there waiting for you. Team up with your local CBDC, top banks, private organizations, Government of Canada, WBE Canada and anything else you can find that will help you gain knowledge.

DANIELA FAVOT Principal, FUZE Reps You should not surround yourself with like-minded people. Any good leader will tell you they surround themselves with people that think differently, that push the envelope, that challenge them in a way that creates change.

MARISA RIZZUTI Owner, Project Management Inc. Find a mentor within your industry that has succeeded in a similar avenue. Having a relationship with someone you can lean on for advice or guidance will significantly aid in the likelihood of success of your business.

ROXANNE WHITING Owner, Sign Language Interpreting Associates Ottawa Inc. (SLIAO) For those looking to grow their business: Dream Big. Keeping the big picture of what your business set out to accomplish is key to identifying the strategies and actions you need to work on today to continue growing your business.

ROXANA DI CARO Director, Aero Cleaning Services Ltd. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is your friend. Use your “failures” to learn and to push yourself to do better. Recognize when failure is your fault, and when it is not. Success after failure is the key to realizing what you’re truly capable of and will make you stronger and more resilient in the end.

CYBELE NEGRIS President and CEO, Webnames.ca Make peace with your strengths and weaknesses early on and then hire smart talented people to fill in those gaps. Hire the best people to fill key roles, let them be leaders and enable them to excel in what they do without standing in the way. As a leader, your role is to motivate, inspire and trust your team to do great work – not to micromanage them.

JULIE ANTHONY CEO, Shoppers Confidential Know when to delegate. You can’t be the expert on everything, nor should you need to be. It sounds expensive and easier said than done, but it’s far more expensive to a new business to have the brains behind it bogged down in things that weren’t part of the initial dream when the business was envisioned. A lot of time and momentum are lost when trying to do it all. Not to mention mental health.

CYNTHIA SPRAGGS CEO, Virtira Productivity Solutions Give people a break from Meetings!!!

Managers confuse team engagement with team performance and productions.

Don’t be on Zoom all day! Moving from meeting to meeting is exhausting and makes it impossible to focus and get work Block off time in your calendar – better introduce No-Meeting Fridays!

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GLAIN ROBERTS-MCCABE Founder & President, The Roundtable Starting a business can be lonely. Rather than putting your focus in the early days on celebrating sales, look to celebrate the small wins. Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint, so keep your mental energy positively juiced up.

Protect time every day to work on your business and not in it!

MARTY BRITTON President & CEO, Britton Management Profiles Inc. ADDIE GRECO-SANCHEZ President, AGS Rehab Always work from a place of integrity. Your reputation will always follow you.

done. yet –

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Check in with your team! Given the current working environment, it is so important to check in with your team with video on because so much of our communications is nonverbal.

PAULINE CABALLERO Chief Revenue Officer, Buckland ANN GOMEZ Speaker, Author, Founding President, Clear Concept Inc. Invest in your resiliency by adopting a thrive mindset. Reframe limiting beliefs and overcome the default negativity bias that lingers in all of us.

If work and life feel daunting, focus on easy wins.

Incremental daily gains are more likely to lead to stunning results.

DAWN TEDESCO President, Infinity Transportation Solutions Inc. However big or small, treat each Customer as though they were your only Customer. See service through the lens of each of your Customers.

MICHELLE BEYO CEO and Founder, Finavator Surround yourself with like-minded leaders! Build a network through speaking and attending as many events as you can - remember, relationships last a lifetime! As you build your business, lift up other women along the way and build community.

JANINE LIBERATORE & AMANDA HUNTER Hunter Liberatore Law LLP Know and understand employment law. It is by far one of the most important things a business with employees can do. Legislations and regulations cover nearly every aspect of hiring, retaining and terminating employees and understanding these rights and obligations from the beginning can prevent significant costs in the long run.

LISA HAYDON President, Pivotal Coaching Be open to partnerships. We all have competitors, some of whom we compete head -to-head with.

But by pausing and assessing our competitors with a different lens, you may see unrealized potential in being partners and leveraging one another’s strengths.

NATALIE CHAN, President/Co-Founder & BRANDY SVENDSON, CEO/Co-Founder, Be The Change Group Inc. Hire sooner, fire faster. Employees are not a budget item; they are an investment. Get the employees you need at a minimum and fill administrative roles right away in order to free up your time to get the work done, sell your product, plan and implement.

Not every employee is a good fit – bad fits seep into the fabric of your teams and company fast. If you think you should let someone go, do it – don’t delay. In the end, you are doing the right thing for them as well.

TANYA WALKER Managing Partner, Walker Law Professional Corporation Use your resources especially during an economic downturn where you may experience a decrease in revenue. Reach out to your current network and expand that network by making mutually beneficial agreements. Consider a collaboration or promotion – anything that will assist your business to get exposure or assistance in an area that you are lacking during this time.

Canada needs a feminist small business procurement strategy Dr. Barbara Orser1 Full Professor, Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa The imperative of securing such goods as vaccines and PPE has placed Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) in the media spotlight. Canada’s central purchasing agency has been mandated to increase procurement from small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) owned by members of designated groups.

In 2020 the federal government announced the establishment of a set-aside for Black-owned and Black-led businesses. This action begs the question as to why preferential procurement measures to support of other designated groups were not included. The decision is particularly puzzling in light of the 2020 Fall Economic Statement that expresses the need for a feminist recovery strategy. The plan stipulates that federal policies must be evaluated on how measures affect women, men, youth, members of the LGBTQ2+ community, persons with disabilities, racialized and Indigenous peoples. Beyond branding policies feminist, inclusive recovery requires a procurement plan to support all designated groups of entrepreneurs.

What might a feminist small business procurement strategy look like? It must reflect the need to secure domestic supply chains and employ procurement as a strategy to support economic and social development. Fostering innovation is implicit. In a collaborative Telfer School of Management and PSPC study, federal SME suppliers were found to be significantly more innovative than firms that do not contract with the federal government. Federal SME suppliers were 43 percent more likely to report at least one type of innovation and 21 percent more likely to report multiple types of innovation.

This article draws on Orser, B., Liao, X., Riding, A., Duong, Q., & Catimel, J. (forthcoming). Genderresponsive Public Procurement: Strategies to Support Women-owned Enterprises, Journal of Public Procurement.

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The Telfer/PSPC study also found that womenowned SMEs are underrepresented as federal suppliers in some sectors, but not all. Accordingly, a feminist small business procurement strategy must include sector-specific measures. A onesize-fits-all approach is an inefficient deployment of public resources.

We must employ lessons learned from preferential procurement measures in the United States.

The US federal government targets 23% of its annual dollar spend to SMEs and 5% of its spend to women-owned businesses.

A Feminist Economic Recovery Plan for Canada released by the YWCA Canada and University of Toronto’s Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE) recommends a minimum 15% spend targeted at businesses led by equityseeking groups. Setting such targets makes sense.

Emulating the longstanding US setaside program is not recommended. A 2018 Telfer-led study found that none of the US set-asides increased either bid frequencies or contracting success, including the set-aside for womenowned SMEs. The Government of Canada must design measures to be more effective and to be required to report on the uptake and impacts of set-asides. Again, Canada

can draw insights from the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) audit of the womenfocused US set-aside program. The GAO found that a high proportion of firms that self-registered for the set-aside, purporting to be women-owned, did not qualify. In the interests of equity, users of all set-asides must meet the qualification requirements.

Third-party certification of ownership is recommended.

A feminist small business procurement strategy should be linked to key trade, labour and other economic and social policies. Clarification of international trade provisions thought to impede preferential procurement in Canada is essential.

Only the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), for example, does not include a carve out provision for protecting designated groups.

Finally, lack of independent analytical capability within government procurement agencies compromises policy formulation. Lack of verifiable evidence lends to disagreements among stakeholders, political opportunism, and instability of SME policies in support of Canada’s designated groups. Canada needs a feminist small business procurement strategy. As a Chatham House report on preference procurement concludes, the ‘diversity dividend’ creates jobs and economic growth, and is one of the most powerful tools that signatory governments have to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Professor Orser is a Full Professor and the Deloitte Professor in the Management of Growth Enterprises. Her research, teaching and advocacy focus on entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment.

Advisory roles include a Women20 (W20) Acting Head of Delegation Canada, UNWomen WE Empower Advisory Group Canada, board member of Women’s Economic Imperative, editorial board of the International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, and Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Policy Research Group. Know more about her.

ENGINEERED FOR

DRIVEN BY DIVERSITY

Toyota’s diverse suppliers — and their inclusive perspectives and progressive capabilities — are essential to our story of creating Mobility for All. ONE TOYOTAS U PPLI E RDIVERSITY.COM

WOMEN’s DAY with WBE CANADA March 3, 2021 @ 12 - 4:30 PM ET

INSPIRE, EMPOWER, CELEBRATE & CONNECT Get Your FREE Ticket Here

The Highs and Lows for Women Entrepreneurs: A Check in With WBEs

By Lisa Haydon

“In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, WBE Canada partnered with Lisa Haydon and Pivotal Coaching, a Certified WBE company to identify the strengths and weaknesses within our community to better understand the value our WBEs bring to corporate and government supply chains as well as the areas for improvement,” said Silvia Pencak, President of WBE Canada. “We are happy to share the findings with our Members, Partners and other Champions of Canadian WBEs to support supplier diversity initiatives and supplier development programs.”

Women entrepreneurs are bound by a similar story. We each have a story of a vision and inspiration behind the launch of our businesses.

The challenges and opportunities we encountered as diverse suppliers drew us to join WBE Canada.

My story started four years ago when I took a big leap. I boldly quit a comfortable corporate career to start an executive coaching business. I was fueled by my passion and vision around people, their potential and their performance. When I was introduced to WBE Canada, I joined a community that is connected and working to help both Women Business Owners and Corporate Members realize their goals. I’m proud to be part of it and privileged to be among a group of ambitious and growth focused business owners.

Last year, a group of certified WBEs participated in a survey using my growth diagnostic tool. My Goal was to help shine a spotlight on what makes up the persona of a woman business owner. I was curious about what made us strong and where we could be better. Here is what the survey showed:

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• We are rooted in habits that are fueled by our purpose • We have a fire to succeed • We like to communicate our thoughts and ideas • Relationships are a priority and we take the time to nurture them • We interact in a style to drive focus and results Why wouldn’t you want to be surrounded with women like this? This is an impressive community.

None of us had any idea what 2020 had in store for us or that we, our employees, and customers would have to work far outside our comfort zone.

I wanted to check in on how we had changed and what was keeping us strong. I had started to see cracks in that pillar of confidence we all need to operate from. I saw this trend in many of the leaders I work with. The wavering in selfconfidence was a concern and I wanted to see how the WBE Business Owners network was faring.

In October 2020, a sizable group of WBE Canada certified business owners provided their selfassessment by answering questions about their entrepreneurial leadership persona using Pivotal Coaching’s proprietary diagnostic tool. The goal for gathering data was to identify the current strengths and opportunities for success. The key insights came in 3 areas of highs and lows: Mindset for Success, Leader Personality and Leader Performance.

MINDSET FOR SUCCESS

Where opportunity exists in this driver is to strengthen self-confidence. In today’s business climate, business owners need to have steadfast self-confidence as a leader and in growing our business. From the findings here, there are doubts about one’s ability to succeed.

This is the MOST important attribute for realizing our highest potential. A leader’s mindset, also known as attitude, is like the engine in a race car. The more fine-tuned and well-oiled it is, the better enabled we are to succeed. In leadership work, mindset precedes selfconfidence. The results of the data showed a strong Mindset for Success from WBE respondents. They are particularly focused and confident in how they support the success of others. Their teams and customers know this well.

LEADER PERFORMANCE Women entrepreneurs don’t have any confidence issues around leadership competencies.

They identify as having the skills to lead. When it comes to how competence in the soft and technical skills of leadership is seen, it was resoundingly very confident. They see their leader performance as a dominant driver of growth. Respondents most frequently answered that they are very capable in building high-performance teams.

Where opportunity exists is in letting go of needing to be right. Being open to more learning will take you even farther. Take a pause to ask a few more enquiry style questions.

LEADER PERSONALITY

Where opportunity exists is asking for help. Seeking increased help for adopting a sales process that includes planning and consistent sales activities, especially weekly. Only 60% of business owners had mentors, advisors or coaches helping them grow sales.

Leader personality is one driver for a growth focused leader and reflects how well one knows themselves. Knowing yourself is having accurate self-knowledge about your personality. A very important element of the leader personality is interpersonal skills. WBEs confidently see themselves as leaders, willing to step into unfamiliar situations and willing to take the lead.

OUR FUTURE What we as the WBE community do with this data and insight can benefit us individually or collectively.

For me, I found this to be an interesting lens to look at how our community is doing during this challenging time.

The leader personality is deployed in how one shows up, interacts and acts. How others experience that personality draws upon soft skills. Enhanced soft skills, particularly interpersonal savviness, are needed more for remote work and virtual selling.

Leaders have the ability to think broadly, logically and see cause and effect. This, along with ideas, helps them figure things out.

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Our drive to succeed may not be letting ourselves show weakness or ask for help. A growth plan for an entrepreneur is anchored in self-confidence. Take a moment and think about your feelings of optimism, self-worth and self-confidence. The stabilization of all three is the anchor for what makes a leader of growth in today’s conditions.

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Finding a formula for success is at the very core of why we are part of the WBE Canada community.

We are rooted in a similar purpose; we see the potential for opportunities and growth. We want to be successful, not only for our own businesses but for our customers. Let’s create a space for open discussions. Let’s share and learn from one another.

Create a buddy system, check in, share your wins and ask for help. Our problem is not potential or capability. Our problem is staying strong, getting focused on the right things and taking action.

Even though time may be scarce I invite you to spend time with your WBE community. Join the next Meet Up.

Lisa W. Haydon is the founder of Pivotal Coaching. She is a high business acumen leader, credentialed sales professional, and certified executive coach. Lisa has led teams and clients in banking, commercial lending, capital markets, technology, consulting, and professional services.

She is known for delivering transformational leadership and sales results using technology enabled diagnostic tools, consulting and coaching.

Pivotal Coaching is powered by V1 Coaching System™ and provides programming and services with 20+ certified coaches.

Chase more dreams Supplier diversity helps our Clients, colleagues and communities shine.

Visit us at sunlife.com.

Who’s Who at WBE Canada MEET OUR 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

WBE Canada is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors representing Corporate Members and Certified WBE (Women Business Enterprises) community. Our Board of Directors is instrumental in charting the strategic direction of WBE Canada.

2021 Executive Committee

DORA SILVA-BOLANOS Board Chair Senior Manager, Supplier Inclusion and Diversity Accenture

ANDY THOMPSON, Board Treasurer VP ION Procurement Nokia

MADELEINE BAKER, Chair, Nomination Committee Director, Products and Services TELUS

MICHAEL PACHOLOK Chief Purchasing Officer City of Toronto

MICHELLE BIANCHI, Secretary, Ex-Officio Vice President, Finance & Operations WBE Canada

SILVIA PENCAK, Ex-Officio President, WBE Canada

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CHRISTINE CANNING Managing Director, Supplier Relationship Management BMO Financial Group

JEN McAVOY, Chair, Certification Committee Vice President Client Engagement Cotton Candy

JENNIFER COOKE Corporate Lead, Women in Trade Export Development Canada (EDC)

KIM ADES President, Frame of Mind Coaching WBE Representative

LAURA DIDYK Vice President and National Lead, Women Entrepreneurs Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

MARYSE BENHOFF, Chair, Supplier Advisory Committee President, BG Communications International Inc. WBE Representative

MICHAEL BOURNE Senior Manager, Procurement Business Operations, Policies, Controls, Supplier Diversity and Ombudsman IBM Canada

MICHELLE ALBANESE Head of Responsible Sourcing and Supplier Diversity TD Bank Group

PAULINE MACDONALD Head of Procurement and Supply Management Babcock Canada

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*Information as of February 2021. For recent updates, click here.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT There were numerous important developments this past year that had a direct impact on the WBE Community, from the introduction of new programs, resources to support our women-owned businesses during the pandemic, to Supplier Diversity 101, knowledge sharing articles, to ensuring our community was up to date on new corporate members as well as insights into the larger world of women entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises. Here are just a few of the major updates you may have missed…

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY ACCELERATOR This customized training and consulting support for WBE Canada’s Member organizations is provided as a membership benefit at no extra cost to enable development and growth of the supplier diversity programs in Canada. Read more.

The WBE Canada Toolbox was launched to help women-owned businesses grow and scale up with a primary focus on understanding supply chains.

Consisting of training resources, updates on events and branding resources, the Toolbox should be your number one go to for all your support needs. Since its launch, Toolbox has also become a go-to place for our Board, Committees, Corporate Members and even our Conference attendees. Read more.

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY DATA SERVICES WBE Canada launched Canada’s first ‘Supplier Diversity Data Services’ for our Corporate and Government members, designed to fill the gap in supplier diversity programs in Canada. Members can now take advantage of WBE Canada’s best-inclass data services to support the growth of their supplier diversity journey. Read more.

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY 101: SUPPLIER WBE Canada launched Supplier Diversity 101: Supplier a simple guide to helping suppliers better understand and navigate the complex world of corporate and government procurement and demystify the even more complex world of supplier diversity. Read more.

C-LEVEL EXECUTIVES INSPIRE ACTION TO ADVANCE CANADIAN WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES Understanding the importance of supply chains in supporting success of women-owned businesses, WBE Canada hosted a C-Suite Panel during its 11th Annual Conference, held in November 2020, to discuss how large corporate supply chains are advancing Canadian women-owned businesses, especially during the on-going pandemic. Read more.

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Equality drives innovation Equality is a powerful multiplier of innovation and growth.

It inspires creativity and a sense of belonging. At Accenture we’re committed to championing a culture of equality where our people are empowered to be their best, professionally and personally. Because as equals, anything is possible.

Learn more at accenture.com/equality

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LEADING THROUGH INNOVATION

2020 IN REVIEW 2020 was a challenging year. Yet, WBE Canada continued to support supplier diversity programs and Canadian WBE community without missing a beat. Read more here. We are energized to continue supporting you through 2021 and we look forward to hearing from you how our work is helping you accomplish your goals and make a difference in your communities. Let us know here.

Making it possible.

Every day, Magna works to make the impossible possible – on the roads and in our communities. We are dedicated to supporting programs and organizations that make a difference in people’s lives and the world around us.

We are proud to sponsor WBE Canada dedicated to creating networking, training and promotional opportunities for Canadian women-owned businesses, buyers and leaders from large corporate and government organizations.

Together we can make it possible.

Women-owned Businesses who Refused to Give up During the 2020 Crisis - There are never enough opportunities to hear from women entrepreneurs who have lived through and managed to survive the pandemic of 2020. Here’s your chance to listen to the inspiring conversation that took place as four WBEs, from 4 very different backgrounds and businesses, discussed how they overcame barriers, how they relied on their core values as business owners and the value of their WBE certification.

Read more.

THE REAL IMPACT OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY During our 11th Annual Conference we shared opportunities to see what happens when Suppliers and Buyers get together – proof that certification

works and contracts are awarded. Hot Seats, hosted

by Tony Chapman of Chatter that Matters Podcast sat down with City of Toronto and Robinson Global Management Inc.; BMO and MediaFace Inc.; RBC and EnviroService Chemicals and Cleaners; and Accenture and Redwood Classics Apparel

IBM and Supplier Diversity Celebrating 50 years and counting Find out more: ibm.biz/GlobalSupplierDiversity

NEW CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT MEMBERS WBE Canada’s Corporate and Government Membership keeps growing at a remarkable pace.

We’re seeing a huge increase in the number of WBE Canada Corporate and Government Members – opening up more doors and countless opportunities to the WBE community.

Since January 2020 we’ve welcomed: Magna International Inc., CHEP, EDC, Babcock Canada, Genumark, City of Brampton, Walsh Canada, UPS, Home Trust, CDW, Scotiabank, Flextrack and Traductions Serge Bélair Inc. IBM, its logo and ibm.com are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. See current list at ibm.com/trademark. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. ©International Business Machines Corp. 2020. B33748

IBM, its logo and ibm.com are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. See current list at ibm.com/trademark. Other product and service names might be

2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE Nov 9-10, 2021 | Virtual

5 Reasons to Attend LEARN - the strategies, solutions and keys to supplier diversity - the benefits and key components of developing a strong supplier diversity program and how to leverage its benefits to scale up your women-owned business CONNECT - with procurement and supplier diversity professionals and industry leaders who will share reallife examples and best practices BE INSPIRED - by like-minded business women and supply chain professionals - hear about their achievements, lessons learned and best practices DISCOVER - new suppliers for your supply chain, new partners and new buyers for your products and services MEET - the innovators, the leaders, the creative entrepreneurs who are leading change in Canada and abroad

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Creating a Brighter Tommorrow for Canada’s Women-owned Businesses

Buy Canadian. Buy Women-made.