New Enterprise Level Diversity Certifications (Oct. 22, 2020)

At Upwork, it’s our company mission to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. Our team works every day to craft innovations and improvements to our user experience. 

A Diversity-Certified Badge helps talent get noticed by clients 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 helps them win more of the work they love.

The new badge will show on Upwork talent profiles to prospective Enterprise clients.

Available Certifications 

Users 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 certification 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-Certified badge directly from your Upwork profile. Look for the new section on the left-hand side and choose the green plus (+) button.


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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 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)

 

FAQ's

What is supplier diversity certification?

Businesses that meet certain criteria can seek to be awarded different types of diversity certifications through numerous third-party certification agencies.

Who qualifies as a “diverse business” or “diverse supplier”?

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:

Note: Upwork is currently working with certifying bodies in the U.S. only.

Who certifies diverse businesses?

Supplier diversity certifications are available from numerous agencies, including:

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.

What is the certification process like?

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.

How do I add a diversity certification badge to my profile?

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.

Who will be able to see my diversity badge/status?

In addition to our internal Talent Services teams, Enterprise and Business clients will be able to see your diversity badge.

Note: Clients on our Basic and Plus client plans, as well as other freelancers, cannot see the badging.

Is Upwork certifying businesses?

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.

Why can’t everyone see my badge?

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.

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