Sepire Recertified as Women’s Business Enterprise
As a company committed to diversity, we believe in celebrating and empowering a diverse workforce throughout the organization. There are many ways to do this, but we feel the best place to start is at the top.
Announced earlier this week in a press release, Sepire has once again recertified as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
Through rigorous review and discussion with our Founder & CEO Michelle Steinberg, the WBDC-Midwest and WBENC affirmed that Sepire is owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman.
But how does one go about being recertified? What does this mean for us and more importantly, what does it mean for you?
What Does It Take to Be a Women’s Business Enterprise?
Few things can be described as straightforward yet rigorous. It might be the easiest way to describe the process of certifying (and recertifying) as a Women’s Business Enterprise.
While the criteria is simple—a business must be 51 percent woman- or women-led—the vetting process involves more than a simple review of financial statements and founding documents.
Initial applications can take half a year, while recertifications occasionally require interviews, site visits, and document reviews by a regional certification partner.
Needless to say, we’ve been a WBE since day one and we’ve never had a problem proving it. Sepire has been built, owned, and operated by an industry veteran and businesswoman—and will remain as such as long as we exist.
What It Means for Us
Being a Women’s Business Enterprise is at the heart of our business. It demonstrates our commitment to diversity. It aligns with who we are. It gives us a unique edge.
Alignment with Our Values
Since day one, Sepire has been committed to building a diverse business that empowers others. Because we believe that diversity and inclusion breeds innovation and business success.
And diversity isn’t simply a talking point here. It’s baked into who we are. In fact, one of our mission questions asks, “How might we... empower our employees to grow, thrive and achieve a healthy work/life balance in a culture that celebrates diversity, achievement, and uniqueness of personality and culture?”
Access to Innovative & Passionate Talent
We believe that diversity matters throughout the organization. Because we know that diversity spurs innovation and facilitates competition, understand our role as a diverse supplier, and believe that diversity can lead to great things.
After all, when 74% of millennials believe that a diverse organization is more innovative and nearly half actively seek out diversity and inclusion when sizing up potential employers, our commitment provides us unique access to talent and positions for innovation and growth.
The Opportunity to Empower Others
Part of our much larger commitment to diversity, inclusion, and empowerment, our status as a Women’s Business Enterprise is just part of who we are. But it’s not the only thing we do. Throughout our organization, we have put women in positions of leadership. And throughout the industry, we work to empower others as well.
So as much as we love sending our top brass to WBENC conferences, we’re just as passionate about sending leaders to mentor at Girls Who Print, Women in Logistics and Delivery, the Women in Print Alliance, and other business and industry initiatives.
What It Means for You
There are many reasons that our commitment to diversity and certification as a WBE helps you. Innovation, growth, access to talent, and unique perspectives drive better business decisions. We’ve empowered a new generation of leaders. And we’re on the forefront of change.
Access to a Diverse Supplier in a Space That Has Few
We could easily stand on our brilliance as a printer and provider of secure communications and direct mail. But in this extremely male-dominated field, we offer a unique opportunity for our clients—the ability to partner with a woman-owned business.
Sepire is one of the few companies in its space that can call itself a Tier 1 Diversity Supplier. We’re dedicated to fostering Tier 2 vendor relationships, and love to work with businesses, nonprofits, and organizations as committed to diversity as us.
Additionally, if you are seeking a diversity supplier in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, or Delaware, we’re registered with each state in their diverse supplier directories.
The Opportunity to Work with a Company Built to Innovate
It’s not simply a line item. Diversity breeds innovation, competition, and growth. Diverse companies are more likely to drive industry change, make better decisions faster, and work more efficiently, according to Josh Bersin, Cloverpop, and NBS, respectively.
Working with a company like Sepire provides you unique access to this. And when paired with our passion, specialization, and subject matter expertise, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a partner that checks all the boxes.
Diverse from Day One. Darn Good at What We Do. Let’s Talk.
Whether you’re seeking supplier diversity or simply need a partner that’s excellent in its field, you’ve come to the right place.
From the top down, from certification to action, our founder and 100 percent owner Michelle Steinberg built this company to stand out in the print and mail industry. A WBENC-certified enterprise, a signatory to the CEO Action on Diversity & Inclusion, and a pretty great provider of mailing services—what’s not to love?