Building the Corporate Case for Including Disability- Owned Businesses in Supplier Diversity...

Building the Corporate Case for Including Disability-Owned Businesses in

Supplier DiversityDisability Supplier Diversity ProgramSM Overview

April 21, 2011

Aditi Dussault Director of Affiliate Relations & Disability

Supplier Diversity Program, US Business Leadership Network

(USBLN®)

Webinar Series for Business Hosted by: Southeast ADA Center and SoutheastTACE Projects of Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University

Funded by NIDRR Grant # H133A060094. © 2011 All Rights Reserved

2

ADA National Network Centers

1-800-949-4232 [voice/tty]

adata.org



3

National disability organization with over 60 affiliates in North America, representing 5,000 employers

Supports best practices in employment, youth engagement, marketing, and procurement

Major offerings are Annual Conference, TOWER Initiative, and Disability Supplier Diversity ProgramSM

Annual Conference – October 16th-19th, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky

About the USBLN®



4

About Supplier Diversity

Stemmed from Civil Rights movement

Contract compliance requirements for minority-owned businesses

Additional requirements for women-owned businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses

Creation of certification for lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender owned businesses

Recent launch of certification for disability- owned businesses



5

Why Supplier Diversity

Contract compliance Circle of Corporate Advocacy

Marketing, Employment & now Supplier Diversity

Strong business case for inclusion of diverse populations

Buying power of diverse populations Brand loyalty Capabilities and agility of diverse suppliers Right thing to do



6

About the DSDP

Corporations have diversity programs to round out their marketing, employment, and philanthropy toward diverse segments

USBLN® Disability Supplier Diversity Program is modeled after existing national third-party certifications for minority, women, and LGBT-owned businesses

Pilot program launched July 1st, 2009

Full implementation on January 1st, 2010



7DSDP Founding & Corporate Partners Ernst & Young, LLP SunTrust Bank KPMG, LLP IBM Merck Freddie Mac Microsoft Corporation Southwest Airlines

Marriott International Qualcomm WellPoint, Inc. Walmart, Inc. Wells Fargo & Company Sodexo #15 Still TBD Lowe’s



8

About the DSDP cont.

Criteria based on 51% ownership, operation, management, and control by individuals with a disability and/or service-disabled veterans who are either US citizens or lawful permanent residents

Must exercise independence from any other business enterprise

Must have principal place of business in US

Must be legally formed in the US

Annual Renewal



9

Accomplishments

Certification Committee established during program pilot

Corporate & Certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprise Representation

Met 5 times over the course of 2010

Certified 23 businesses, 1 denial

No appeals

Developed supplier education materials, programming for annual conference, and relationships with both suppliers and corporate representatives



10

Certification Process1. Applicant initiates certification process 960 – 90 days)

2. Application Received by USBLN and reviewed for completion

3. Application undergoes review by National certification Committee

4. Site Visit Scheduled and Conducted

5. Final Review of Application by National Certification Committee

6. Determination sent to business within 15 business days



11

Definition of Disability

Disability is defined as a physical and/or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual

• Based on the first prong of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

A service-disabled veteran is a person who served in the active military, naval or air service, and whose disability was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service



12

Disability Status Qualifiers

To demonstrate disability status or status as a service-disabled veteran, applicants must submit one document from Group A or at least two documents from Group B

All documents must be accompanied by a Disability Status Qualifier Supplemental Form, with the exception of the USBLN® Physician’s Certification of Disability Form

USBLN® reserves the right to request further information and documentation of disability status



13

Disability Status Qualifiers – group A

Group A

Records, statements, or other documentation issued from a licensed, registered, or certified vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private) stating that the applicant individual is a person with a disability

Records, statements, or other documentation issued from any Federal agency, State agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia or a US territory that issues or provides disability benefits stating that the applicant individual is a person with a disability



14

Disability Status Qualifiers – group A cont.

Group A cont.

USBLN® Physician’s Certification of Disability Form from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional duly certified to practice medicine by the State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory) stating that the applicant individual is a person with a disability

To be considered a Service-Disabled Veteran, the veteran must have an adjudication letter from the Veterans Administration (VA), a Department of Defense Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), or a Statement of Service from the National Archives and Records Administration, stating that the veteran has a service-connected disability



15

Disability Status Qualifiers – group B

Group B National or local media attention indicating the applicant

company is a disability-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned business, or mention the owner(s) as a member of the disability community

Records, certifications, or registrations regarding the use of a service animal

Advertising/promotional materials that note the business is disability- or service-disabled veteran-owned and operated



16Disability Status Qualifiers –group B cont.

Group B cont. Certificates/Awards/Recognitions of the business and/or

owner(s) as a member of the disability community (a copy of the certificate, letter of congratulations, or other supporting documentation must be included as well as contact information for the presenting party)

Membership letters or certificates from a disability-focused organization (i.e., Center of Independent Living, national disability advocacy organizations, etc.), accompanied by a letter written by a board member of the organization indicating the applicant is a member in good standing and is a person with a disability. Contact information for the board member must also be provided

Other documentation, subject to review and acceptance by the USBLN® National Certification Committee



17

Ideal Candidates for Certification

Business is at least 51% owned, operated, managed, and controlled by a person (or persons) with a disability

The business must be a for-profit entity No requirement for length of time in business (start ups

can be certified) Flexible scalability to fulfill large contracts while

maintaining quality or be highly specialized/serve a niche Willingness to share all information required on the

application Prepared to incorporate certification into long-term

strategy for growth Highly desired industries: All manufacturing, IT firms,

facilities management, document security, research, construction, and many more!



18

Benefits of Certification - Employers

Access to supplier diversity personnel in major corporations and government agencies

Business to business opportunities for collaboration, joint venturing, and new client development

Opportunities to participate in mentorship and leadership programs

Certification is a differentiator from one’s competition

Ability to brand one’s business as a certified disability-owned business



19

Benefits of Partnership - Corporations

National promotion and recognition as a participant

Access to the database of certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprises that have met rigorous criteria for certification

Exchange of best practices surrounding inclusion of certified DOBEs in existing corporate supplier diversity programs

Broad exposure at USBLN® events

Face-to-face meetings with certified DOBEs at USBLN® supplier diversity events



20

*Open Discussion &

Questions



21

THANK YOU!



2222

*

Contact Information Please Feel Free to Reach Out to UsJill HoughtonDeputy DirectorSoutheast TACEActing Executive DirectorUSBLN(954) 461-4726 [voice][email protected]

Pamela WilliamsonDirectorDBTAC: Southeast ADA

Center(404) 541-9001 [voice][email protected]

Aditi DussaultDirector, Disability Supplier Diversity ProgramSM and Affiliate RelationsUSBLN(202) 487 -5868 [voice][email protected]

mailto:[email protected]





23

Sponsors of Webinar Series

ADA National Network by DBTACWeb: adata.org

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)Web: aapd.com

Council of State Administrators ofVocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR)- National Employment Team (NET)Web: rehabnetwork.org

U.S. Business Leadership NetworkWeb: usbln.org



24

Education Credits - DEADLINE: May 2, 2011

CEU (0.1 Pending) Approved by the University College at Syracuse UniversityTo earn CEU credit, you must:1. Participate in the 1.5 hour webinar.2. Login to your Webinar Account & complete: CEU Request.3. Follow CEU Credit Requirements

(http://sedbtac.org/webinars/requestCEU.php?eventid=531).

CRCC (1.5) Approved by Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor

Certification (CRCC) To earn CRCC credit, you must:1. Participate in the 1.5 hour webinar.2. Login to your Account & score 80% or better on Post Test.3. Complete: CRCC Request and send a copy to the CRCC office.4. Follow CRCC Credit Requirements

(http://sedbtac.org/webinars/requestCRCC.php?eventid=531).

http://sedbtac.org/webinars/requestCEU.php?eventid=531

http://sedbtac.org/webinars/requestCRCC.php?eventid=531



2525

DisclaimerThe DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center (Southeast DBTAC) is authorized by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to provide information, materials, and technical assistance to individuals and entities that are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and its Amendments (ADA) under Grant No. H133A060094. However, NIDRR is not responsible for enforcement of the ADA. For more information or assistance, contact your regional ADA Center via the ADA National Network by DBTAC at adata.org or call 1-800-949-4232 [voice/tty].

The information, materials, and/or technical assistance are intended solely as informal guidance, and are neither a determination of your legal rights or responsibilities under the Act, nor binding on any agency with enforcement responsibility under the ADA. The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University does not warrant the accuracy of any information contained herein. Any links to non-BBI information are provided as a courtesy. They are not intended to nor do they constitute an endorsement by the BBI of the linked materials.

http://adata.org/

Building the Corporate Case for Including Disability- Owned Businesses in Supplier Diversity...

Documents

Transcript of Building the Corporate Case for Including Disability- Owned Businesses in Supplier Diversity...