Get up to speed on what we offer by discovering the incredible value we’re delivering globally Read the newsletter front to back!
Contact your account manager, p. 13, to discuss how we can help you meet your 2025 goals.
Don’t miss this quarter’s listing of top women-owned businesses, p. 10! Want to support? Or know others who do?! Individual giving available here.
ApaC 2024 - Bangalore DELIVEred 1000+ Business Connections through Dynamic MatchMakers and Onsite Networking. See Page 7.
Asia Pacific
august 26-27th
apac regional conference
Brisbane, australia
september 23rd-25th
Europe & MENA Regional Conference
Disneyland Paris, France
A quick glance from our successful defy conference in Canada! Nice work stephanie and team! Read more on page 4.
October 8-9th
Africa regional conference
Johannesburg, South africa
november 12-13th
latam regional conference
Monterrey, mexico
Welcome to our new board
The WEConnect International Board of Directors includes procurement and supply chain executives, philanthropists, women owners of large global companies, and ESG and sustainability experts, all dedicated to advancing our mission and connecting women business owners with opportunity around the globe.
Please join us in thanking these volunteer leaders (including several new members!) for lending their time, expertise, and voice to advocate for a more gender-inclusive supply chain. Get to know the Board here!
regional highlights - Europe
Jerome Flint, Regional Director jflint@weconnectinternational.org
Taking Place Sept 23-25
Experience a spectacular three days of networking fueled with growth, opportunities, and insights in a magical venue in Paris! Don’t miss this chance to expand your horizons in the enchanting setting of Disneyland Paris.
The three core tenets of the conference are:
Creating real business opportunities
Driving learning and best practices
Growing the community
Click here for Registration and agenda information register now! HOtel Space is Limited
Around the region
Welcome to our new Market Lead for the UK and Ireland- Jaxx Nelson. Jaxx brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, and has already positively impacted our market strategy. Her fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are helping us navigate the complexities of these key markets more effectively.
We hosted an in-person event in Toledo, Spain, attracting 155 guests, including 15 member buyers, over 100 Spanish Women-Owned Businesses (WOBs) and Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), and regional authorities from across Spain. This gathering provided an excellent platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and fostering new business relationships.
We organised a working breakfast in London to showcase some fantastic WBE success stories and introduce Jaxx to our local community. This event highlighted the achievements of our WBEs and demonstrated the impact of our initiatives.
regional highlight - canada
stepahnie fontaine, Regional Director sfontaine@weconnectinternational.org
DEFY Conference Sets the bar High
This June 12-14, WEConnect International, along with community partners, CAMSC, GCLCC and IWSCC welcomed over 450 delegates to DEFY, the largest supplier diversity conference in Canada in 2024. Over three days, diverse entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, government, and ecosystem partners convened to learn, connect, and drive change through inspiring keynotes, insight-filled panel discussion, educational workshops, matchmaking sessions, a tradeshow and plenty of built in time for networking.
Thank you to our sponsors! Gold: Accenture, Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada Silver: Desjardins, EY, RBC and TD Bronze: Diversity Institute, Futures Skills Centre and J&J. Friend: ABC Technologies, Amazon, Bell, BMO, Cisco, Cushman & Wakefield, DCM, Futurpreneur, Kellanova, Magna, Manulife, Merck, Novabus, Telus, Toyota and Tourisme Montreal. Supplier Sponsors: Redwood Classics, ICON HR Consultants Canada, US Tech Solutions and Versatil
plan to attend! September 5th at 1:00 PM ET | Virtual
Are you part of an organization supporting women entrepreneurs in Canada? If so, we invite you to attend an informational webinar about WEConnect International and how working with us can help you deliver additional value to the women business owners in your network. Register Here
regional highlight - latam
Ixchel Alcantara, Regional Director ialcantara@weconnectinternational
org
Welcome to our new Market Lead for Mexico, Cynthia Marcos. In her role at WEConnect International, Cynthia will leverage her extensive network and strategic insights to cultivate relationships with womenowned businesses, collaborate with local stakeholders, and promote women’s economic empowerment. Cynthia can be reached at MarketLead-LAC@weconnectinternational.org
We hosted our 5th Automotive & Manufacturing Business Showcase on August 8th. The 90 minute session featured 11 WBEs in industries ranging from HR consulting to Solar Energy implementation and more. We had 35 member buyers representatives from the following companies attend: Adient, BASF, Dana, Eaton, Ford, Nissan, Stellantis, Tenneco and Yanfeng. Thank you again to Camila, Marylin, and Luciana for their dedication and hard work!
save the date!
LATAM Regional Conference | November 12-13th
Join us for the WEConnect International Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, held for the first time in Monterrey, Mexico, on November 12th and 13th. Women-owned businesses from across the region and buyers from some of the largest multinational companies in the world are expected to attend. Click here for the full agenda details – ticket sales will start soon, so stay tuned!
Event Highlights
Matchmaking Session
How women are shaping the future of the Automotive & Manufacturing sectors
Breaking Borders, Building Bridges: Women-Owned Businesses and Nearshoring in Mexico
Women Pioneering Change in the Transportation and Oil & Gas Industries
Embracing Diversity: SD&I in the Healthcare and Pharma sectors
Women-Owned Businesses at the Forefront of Disruptive Technology
Regional highlight - apac
Minnie Venkatachalam, Regional Director mvenkatachalam@weconnectinternational.org
exciting news
We were thrilled to host the Procter and Gamble “Women Entrepreneurs Academy” for the sixth consecutive year in Singapore and its second year in Malaysia. During the eight week session, 22 women-owned businesses participated in comprehensive training sessions. Topics included: leveraging technology for business growth; strategic alignment and execution; international legal frameworks; procurement processes; venture capital essentials, and more.
Elizabeth Vazquez, CEO of WEConnect International, joined a panel discussion on fostering a diverse and inclusive supplier portfolio, hosted by Givvable.com. The panel included speakers from the Queensland Indigenous Business Network and Get Skilled Access, and attracted over 200 buyers from across the AsiaPacific region eager to enhance inclusivity in their procurement practices.
Our regional team collaborated with the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and the ASEAN Secretariat to organize a webinar, focused on policies and programs aimed at promoting women's participation in international trade.
Asia Pacific Conference Brisbane | august 26-27th
Join us at the WEConnect International Asia Pacific Conference in Brisbane, Australia, where we will bring together leaders from diverse organisations, suppliers, buyers and policy leaders to share and gain knowledge, build connections and collaborate for better business and social outcomes. Register Here.
Supplier Diversity Expo with disney hong kong September 4th
Key topics of this event will include the following:
Promotion of market awareness in Supplier Diversity
Insights from industry leaders, diverse suppliers, and advocates on the value of and challenges facing SD&I
Opportunities for diverse suppliers to promote their products/services
Thousands of guests from different sectors such as Commercial, Academia, Procurement Associations, and Certification bodies are invited to attend. Please email Minnie for more information and to register.
Regional highlightsouth asia
Eroshan Alagaretnam, Regional Director ealagaretnam@weconnectinternational.org
exciting news
The WEConnect International Asia Pacific Conference in Bangalore, India, last week marked a groundbreaking moment for inclusive procurement in South Asia:
�� 1,000+ business connections made between womenowned businesses and buyers through our signature business matchmaking
�� Keynote address from the Hon. Priyank M Kharge, Minister of Rural Development and Panhchayat Raj and IT/BT, Government of Karnataka
�� 100+ women business owners and 40+ representatives from large buyers in the room, including ExxonMobil, Abbott, IBM, Bayer, Intel Corporation, Accenture, Dell Technologies, Target, Cummins Inc., Trane Technologies, Infosys, HH Global, Suntory Global Spirits, JPMorganChase, Goldman Sachs, Sagility, MSD, Eaton, and ecosystem partners.
The WEConnect International InclusionXchange in Hyderabad took place on August 9th! The event included keynotes from Consul General Jennifer Larson and visionary leader Srinivas Rao Mahankali (MSR). We also delivered an interactive learning session by the dynamic Vanitha Choudhari that focused on how women founders and leaders can effectively create better business pitches to face the corporate buyers confidently. Over 50+ inspiring women entrepreneurs attended for a day filled with learning and networking.
Last but not least, we successfully designed and delivered six capacity-building training sessions for womenowned businesses (WOBs) across South Asia. These sessions covered three critical modules: Business Strategic Planning, Cyber Security for Enterprises, and Technology for Growth. We are proud to report that a total of 275 WOBs from India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka participated in these training programs. Their engagement and dedication reflect the growing commitment to enhancing business acumen and technological proficiency in the region.
Frida Owinga, Regional Director fowinga@weconnectinternational.org
exciting news
Africa has been buzzing with activity as WEConnect International hosts Africa Dialogues every second Thursday, fostering supply chain diversity and inclusion in the region. These dialogues provide a platform for discussions on inclusive sourcing insights and strategies. We hold Business Clinics every first and fourth Friday—virtual learning and mentoring sessions designed to support women in accessing the resources they need to grow and thrive.
We are also proud to announce that the UPS Procurement Readiness Program had 43 participants successfully finish. Please check out our new testimonial video!
Discover top women's businesses in our community!
Contact Information: Ngwana Matloa
ngwanam@abottech co za https://www.linkedin.com/compa ny/abot-technology/
ABOT Technology is Johannesburg based, data-first software development company that builds cutting edge technology solutions for the global market. ABOT specializes in Technology Consulting, Cool technology, Data Management, Software Development, UX/UI Design, Quality Assurance, and Cloud Development.
Contact Information: Aarti Bindra at aarti@acpl.com Website: www.acpl.com
ACPL Systems Pvt Ltd is a Certified, renowned information security solutions provider based in India. Established with a mission to deliver top-notch security services, ACPL Systems has carved a niche in the cybersecurity industry. The company specializes in offering a wide array of services, including risk management, compliance solutions, network
Contact Information: Zoe Moss at zoe@castinteriors.uk Website: https://castinteriors.uk/
Cast Interiors is a Certified business that has the expertise ensure your commercial buildings vision is achieved across shell and core, traditional Cat A or Cat B mercial fit out. Whether you are a developer or an end er occupier we are able to provide fast track and high quality main contracting services through proactive ogue with your architects, MEP consultants and wider project team.
Service Area: Europe
Discover top women's businesses in our community!
Established in 2006, Equifruit is North America's leading Fairtrade-certified banana importer. Their bananas come from Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Equifruit’s success has been bolstered by getting certified by WEConnect International, where Jennie and her team found inspiration and support from a global network of female entrepreneurs “We feel
THE SWEETSHOP is a New Zealand based, Certfied, boutique production company that specializes in Commercial Advertising, Entertainment for Feature Film (documentary and non-factual storytelling) and TV Series. We actively work to develop our directors and provide them support to further both short and long form projects.
Visual Latina is a Certified, global business specialized in shopper marketing services and has been serving clients with their unmatched expertise for over 30 years. Visual Latina began in Latin America and has grown to support major CPG organizations across five continents including The Coca-Cola Company, Kelloggs, Diageo and Sanofi.
Service Areas: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, United States, Spain, Mexico, and UAE
Trending member requests -
Top Categories of interest to our members in WECOMMUNITY
Success Areas
In the following categories, we have high member requests and businesses who are able to fulfill these requests: Marketing, Training & Learning, IT Services, Logistics, Staffing, and Promotional/Gift Items.
Growth Plans
Due to the volume of requests, we are working on growing our WBE network in these categories: Ground Transportation Services, Lab Consumables, Waste Management , Catering, Construction/ FM, Security Services, Café Services.
2024 Member Satisfaction Survey Recap
As part of our commitment to member satisfaction, WEConnect International conducts a membership satisfaction survey each year. In this year's survey, we received 50 responses from members, our highest response rate yet! Thank you to everyone that took the time to complete the survey. Here are some highlights of how we've improved from 2023:
The overall service quality rating went up from 8.0 to 8.3 – an all–time high!
Our responsiveness score stayed consistent at 9.0!
Our monthly global member calls are highly impactful and a must-attend!
There was an increase from 7 to 7.9 in our score on finding qualified women-owned businesses!
Our score increased from 8.2 to 8.9 on our certification process that meets your needs
mtobolski@weconnectinternational.org
Phone: +1 (202)-810-6004
padams@weconnectinternational.org
Phone: +1 (202) 800-4627
bgonzalez@weconnectinternational org
+1 (202)-810-6017
asyrell@weconnectinternational org
Phone: +1 (202) 810-6006 Member Account Representative
cribeiro@weconnectinternational org
Phone: +54 9 11 59463562
Phone: +1(202)-998-2439 Regional Corporate and Partner Engagement Manager
