Upwork’s mission is to create economic opportunities so people have better lives. Key to our mission is that these opportunities should be equally available to all qualified talent in our community, regardless of background, nationality, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, actual or perceived disability status, veteran status, marital status, or other similarly protected characteristics. With inclusive sourcing and hiring we all benefit from diverse perspectives, rich experiences, and expanded opportunities.
We know representation is a priority for many of the businesses looking to engage independent talent. And we’re dedicated to ensuring our work marketplace is a place where all professionals can compete on a level playing field and have opportunities to do incredible work.
Here’s what we’re doing to help clients hire diverse talent on Upwork:
With certain criteria, businesses and independent talent can receive diversity certifications through third-party certification agencies. Once agencies and talent provide verified business-level diversity certifications on their profiles, Enterprise clients can easily search and identify them.
Here are just a few of the third-party agencies who currently provide certification to Upwork users who qualify as 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)
How can you use Upwork to meet your inclusive hiring needs?
- Include a statement in your job post welcoming talent from all backgrounds to submit a proposal for your project.
- Enable the “diversity-certified” search filter when you’re looking to invite talent to submit proposals for your project.
- Check for the Diversity-Certified Badge on independent professionals’ profiles.
Diversity within any organization is truly an asset. We hope this feature and upcoming features will make it easier than ever for our clients to boost their inclusion initiatives and create a positive social and economic impact for all communities.
