Enhanced Digital Certification: a Fast, Easy, Affordable Small Business and Diversity Certification

Getting your diverse business or small business certified expands the pool of opportunities to do business in the public and private sectors. However, less than 5% of of small and diverse businesses don’t have certification. At SupplierGATEWAY, we wanted to figure out why this problem was so common despite the benefits that come with being certified. 

Current Challenges

According to the Small Business Administration, there are more than 4 million minority-owned businesses in the U.S., yet only a fraction have pursued acquiring a certification due to the cost, time and documentation required.

On average, it takes around 90 days for a business to be certified as a diverse- owned or small business. The cost can be from several hundred to more than a thousand dollars based on the location and its size. The long and involved process process along with cost dissuade many business owners from getting certified at all.

At SupplierGATEWAY, we understand these challenges, and our goal is to constantly figure out the best solutions to business challenges. We understood that having a certification for diverse and small business owners that was easy to apply for and cost-effective would help increase the number of small and diverse businesses that are certified. This would not only ease the burden on suppliers trying to make an economic impact in their communities, but also help buyers looking for certified suppliers to work with.

Today, we’re thrilled to say that our new Enhanced Digital Certification (EDC) program is a timely, cost-effective and practical solution to a pressing challenge. EDC gives you the power to create new opportunities for your business to attract and engage buyers looking for diverse-owned suppliers.

What Is EDC?

Enhanced Digital Certification™ (EDC) is a fast and inexpensive way for small and diverse businesses to get certified as a small or diverse-owned organization while at the same time exposing them to new opportunities afforded by being in the SupplierGATEWAY network.

EDC is gaining widespread acceptance by some of the most prominent advocates of inclusive purchasing, including Amazon, Home Depot, Target, and Nike- all of whom also seek to create new economic impact at scale. By digitizing and streamlining the diversity certification process, we have made it easier, faster and much less costly to achieve your diversity or small business certification. 

If your business belongs to a small and/or minority-owned category, EDC is the go-to program for becoming certified as a diverse-owned business. 

Takes As Little As 15 Minutes From Beginning To Approval Stage

With EDC, the whole certification process is optimized with a simple, clear, easy-to-follow digital form. Even your identity verification is done online, making it convenient for you to securely attest to your declarations and representations. If you have the required corporate documents ready, you can complete your application in 15 minutes.

EDC Process

After filling out the application, verifying your identity, business information and completing risk and compliance checks, you will receive an email if your application was successfully completed. While your certification is subject to audit, the normal process takes under 72 hours!

Access To Your Certification 24/7 Regardless of Location

“Congratulations! Your application has been approved!”

With your Enhanced Digital Certificate in hand, you also get something significant to your future customers – peace of mind. The EDC was developed for the digital world – complete with QR Code-based validation of your certificate, which enables your clients to conveniently verify your business category and diversity certification status, 24/7 and at no cost. Use the code on your email signature line, website or marketing collateral to quickly and confidently let customers know your organization is diverse-owned and operated.

Enhanced Digital Certification (Sample)

Everything your customers need to know about your business’ diverse ownership is in this digital certification. They can look up your business information by 

• Scanning your QR code OR
• Entering your certification ID in their SupplierGATEWAY portal OR
• Accessing the SupplierGATEWAY EDC Validation API connected to their ERP and purchasing systems.

We have made it easier for companies looking to do business with diverse suppliers to validate their diversity ownership status – the rest is up to you!

Detailed business information after scanning QR Code (sample)

The total cost is only $25, or even FREE

The entire EDC program was conceived with a singular objective – create new opportunities for diverse-owned and small businesses. That philosophy carries over into the price. The EDC is available as an annually paid certification or is simply included as an added benefit for SupplierGATEWAY premium Supplier Platform subscribers.

Our premium subscribers will enjoy all the supplier features from SupplierGATEWAY as well as the opportunity to certify your business for free. 

Automated Renewal Notification

Your EDC is valid for one year. But don’t worry! Our system will send the notification to remind you, and your only task is to update your information to get EDC renewal in no time.

We Made Small and Diverse Certification Fast and Easy. Time For You To Get The Most Out Of It!

“We have a singular goal of enabling millions of diverse businesses to get certified quickly and inexpensively. We believe EDC can help jump-start aspirational small businesses to create the economic impact we all want,”- Ade Solaru, CEO of SupplierGATEWAY.

To learn more, please check out the EDC page.