The talent at Upwork is diverse and unique, and we want to celebrate it!
A Diversity-Certified Badge helps you get noticed by customers who value a diversity of perspectives and points of view. This badge empowers Minority-owned, Woman-owned, U.S. veteran-owned, Disability-owned, and LGBTQ+-owned independent businesses to leverage their external certifications to help them win more of the work they love.
If you choose to add a Diversity Certification to your profile, we'll display your badge to any Enterprise client who views your profile. Clients can choose to search by for Diversity-Certified talent, too!
Available Certifications
U.S.-based freelancers and agencies can currently select from several badges, listed below. Our team anticipates expanding the program and adding more in the future; stay tuned!
- Minority-owned
- Woman-owned
- U.S. veteran-owned
- Disability-owned
- LGBTQ+-owned
You are in no way required to add a Diversity-Certified badge to your profile. Simply choose I don’t want to disclose this information or This is not applicable to me.
Add a Certification
You can choose to add a Diversity Certification Badge directly from your Upwork profile. Look for the new section on the left-hand side and choose the green plus(+) button.
You’ll be asked to enter your certification information. Once you add the details, the badge will automatically appear.
Is Upwork certifying businesses?
Upwork does not provide diversity certification services. If you earn certification from a third-party agency, however, please let us know.
These are just a few of the third-party agencies who provide certification to those who qualify as “diverse suppliers” or “diverse businesses.”
- National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
- Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
- National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
- Disability:In
- National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
National certifications currently accepted at Upwork include:
- Minorities: Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
- US Military Veterans: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Business (VOB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
- LGBTQ+: LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE)
- Disabled: Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)
- Women: Women's Business Enterprise (WBE), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
Frequently Asked Questions
Businesses that meet certain criteria can seek to be awarded different types of diversity certifications through numerous third-party certification agencies.
Requirements can vary based on the certification type. For example, these are just a few of the agencies that offer certification for qualified businesses and each may have unique requirements:
- National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
- Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
- National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
- Disability:In
- National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
Note: Upwork is currently working with certifying bodies in the U.S. only.
Supplier diversity certifications are available from numerous agencies, including:
- National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
- Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
- National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
- US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC)
- Disability:In
- National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
We recognize there are many other national, state and local certifications -- this list is not exhaustive.
Note: A diverse business may qualify for more than one certification.
The process can vary based on the agency who is awarding the certification. Typically, it includes interviews, providing documentation, an on-site visit, and a fee.
We added a new section in your profile called “Diversity Certification” where you can add your information. Once you add the details, the badge will automatically appear.
In addition to our internal Talent Services teams, Enterprise clients will be able to see your diversity badge.
No, Upwork does not provide diversity certification services. If you earn certification from a third-party agency, however, please let us know as we are testing out adding diversity certification badges to the Upwork profiles of freelancers and agencies with registered businesses that have earned certification.
To start, we are seeing the impact of making the badges visible to Enterprise and Business clients, as they have indicated they are most interested in seeking out diverse businesses and often have diversity and inclusion initiatives as part of their hiring practices.
