Nearly 2,800 corporate supplier-diversity leaders, federal-agency heads and owners of women business enterprises (WBEs*) were drawn to Baltimore this week to make valuable business connections at WBENC‘s 11th Annual Women in Business National Conference and Business Fair.
Aptly called “The Business Connection,” the three-day event (June 22 24) offered matchmaking events, networking, educational workshops and an opportunity for WBEs to directly showcase their products and services to potential buyers. The event’s goals: to encourage contracting opportunities between WBEs and supplier-diversity leaders in industries ranging from healthcare and logistics to transportation and telecommunications to create much-needed jobs.
Although women own between 25 percent and 33 percent of private business globally, of which one-quarter are owned by Black, Latina or Asian women, WEConnect International reports that combined they receive less than 1 percent of contracting opportunities, a barrier to their growth.
