Glossary of Terms
Corporate Member (sometimes referred to as “Corporate Partner” or “Sustaining Member”): A corporation, or representative from a corporation, that is a dues-paying member of our 501(c)3 organization; may be designated as a Regional Partner Organization (RPO) Corporate Member, or a national Corporate Member; corporation normally has a supplier diversity program in place, where diverse spend is tracked quarterly or annually.
Site Visit: Meeting between a WBENC affiliate volunteer and a WBE applicant to verify WBENC application items.
Second-Tier Supplier: Second-level contractor; subcontractor; also referred to as Tier 2 supplier.
Spend: The amount that a corporation or government entity purchases from a WBE; this amount is typically tracked both by individual vendor and in aggregate.
Strategic Sourcing: A systematic approach to minimize costs, streamline processes, and improve quality; results in the clustering of like purchases from fewer vendors.
Supplier Diversity: A business program that encourages the use of previously underutilized minority owned vendors as suppliers. It is not directly correlated with supply chain diversification, although utilizing more vendors may enhance supply chain diversification.
Tier 1: Direct supplier to a customer; contractor.
Tier 2: Second-level contractor; subcontractor; also referred to as Tier 2 supplier.
WBE (pronounced W-B-E): An acronym for Women Business Enterprise - a woman-owned business that has received WBENC certification.
WBENC (pronounced wee-bank): An acronym for Women's Business Enterprise National Council, the national organization that sets the certification standards and procedures administered by 13 regional affiliate organizations. Through WBENC, your WBE certification is recognized nationwide.
RPO: Regional Partner Organization; one of the 13 regional affiliates across the United States authorized to administer the WBENC Certification. Currently, all of the United States, including American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, North Mariana Island, Palau, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, are covered by our regional certification partners.
Women’s Business Enterprise Leadership Forum: Also known as “The Forum,” this governing group represents women's business enterprises (WBEs) and provides insight into the needs and challenges of the women business owners served by WBENC. The mission of the Forum is to promote, translate and advocate the needs, issues and benefits of women's business enterprises and to facilitate corporate and supplier business opportunities for WBE members of WBENC.