The business world standards are changing, and the ITAD industry is no exception. Concepts like diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and ESG are now industry requirements that businesses search for before partnering with others. Fortunately, ESG and diversity go hand in hand. Having a diverse workforce is essential to consider when partnering with other businesses as part of social ESG criteria. In the ITAD space, diversity plays a role in business development as other enterprises search for diverse suppliers. A WBE certification benefits women-owned businesses and provides tax incentives for revenue growth. As industry requirements continue to evolve, partnering with a WBE-certified ITAD provider offers diversity to business practices and helps achieve social ESG goals.
ESG & WBE Certifications
A WBE certification is specifically for women-owned businesses and shows diversity in the marketplace for those seeking to conduct business with a woman-owned company. The certification validates that the business is 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman. To achieve WBE Certification, women-owned businesses complete a formal documentation and site visit process administered by one of WBENC’s 14 regional partner organizations.
As a new industry requirement, ESG is a reporting method that aims to enhance an enterprise’s environmental, social, and governance policies and provides transparency and accountability within the workplace. Social ESG criteria focus on a business’s relationship with clients, employees, and the community. They are met through value-added ITAD services such as donation programs, device repair, remarketing, and asset redeployment. However, social ESG criteria can also be met by partnering with a WBE-certified ITAD provider to enhance diversity.
WBE Certified ITAD
As part of ESG social criteria, many businesses seek to diversify their employee pool and partners to meet DEI standards. A WBE certification enables other companies to identify diverse suppliers and enhance their ESG goals while helping promote women-owned businesses to major corporations looking to do business with a woman-owned company. Using a minority-owned business as a service supplier creates new opportunities for revenue growth and opens the door to many federal and state tax incentives.
HOBI co-founder and CEO Cathy Hill is a founding member of the company’s board and has overseen its growth since its inception. In addition to our WBE certification, HOBI is R2v3, RIOS, and ISO 14001 certified. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry and services ranging from data security and erasure to reverse logistics, HOBI offers a wide range of ITAD solutions.
For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.