Frequently Asked Questions | weconnectinternational.org

FAQ’s – Frequently Asked Questions

Who sees my business profile on WECommunity?

If you are registered on WECommunity or a certified Women’s Business Enterprise, large buying organizations who are Members of WEConnect International and other women-owned businesses can see your profile.

Who can I see on WECommunity?

If you are registered on WECommunity, you can see the profiles of other registered busineses. If you are a certified Women’s Business Enterprise, you can the profiles of Member Buyers and other certified businesses, as well as registered businesses.

What exactly does it mean to be “a WEConnect International certified WBE”?

A WEConnect International certified WBE is a business that has gone through a rigorous and stringent certification process to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by one ore more women. WEConnect International’s Member Buyers want to do more business with women-owned businesses. Certification gains your business preferential access to the WEConnect International benefits. The WEConnect International Certification is globally recognized and available to businesses in 46 countries.

My business is already registered with WEConnect International. Do I have to create a new account on the new WECommunity database platform?

If your business was already registered with WEConnect International as of October 2020, the primary account holder must register and update the business profile on WECommunity. If you have not received an invitation to register email from no-reply@ansmtp.ariba.com to register, please contact registration@weconnectinternational.org. Please include in the subject header: Country in which the business is legally registered; Registered Business Name; and “Request for WECommunity Invitation”

I didn’t receive the email inviting me to register on WECommunity. What should I do?

If you are already registered with WEConnect International but have not yet received an invitation to register from no-reply@ansmtp.ariba.com, please contact registration@weconnectinternational.org. Please include in the subject header: Country in which the business is legally registered; Registered Business Name; and “Request for WECommunity Invitation”

What if I already have an Ariba account?

If you are already registered with Ariba, you can use your existing Ariba account to log in. When you are in WECommunity, Ariba sometimes picks up similar company or domain names linked to existing accounts. If this happens you will be provided a list of accounts to review. If none of them are applicable, click “Continue Account Creation” highlighted in blue on the top of your screen.

Why was my registration denied?

Your application is Registration is denied if your business does not meet the following criteria:
• Ownership – A woman or women must hold 51% or more of the ownership assets in the company
• Management and control – Women owners must have independent and unilateral control of the day to day and long term business decisions
• Contribution of capital and expertise – Women owners must demonstrate a contribution of capital and/or expertise that corresponds to her ownership in the company
• Independence – the women owners must operate independently from males or male owned enterprises and arrangements of shared resources, employees, and leadership will be closely examined.

If I my business is registered already, how can I certify?

If you are already registered on WECommunity, to apply to get certified, simply log into your account. Go to Edit Profile, open Business Registration Questionnaire, choose Revise Response and answer “Yes” to Question 7 “Would you like to become certified with WEConnect International?”

Can a woman and a man own the company jointly?

Yes, a woman and a man can own the company jointly; however, the woman must be the majority owner (at least 51% ownership) and must demonstrate that her management and control of the company, her contribution of capital and/or expertise, and her assumption of all profits and risks are commensurate with her ownership percentage. A woman must also hold the highest office as outlined in the company’s governance documentation. Please refer to WEConnect International Standards, Governance and Processes document which can be found at our website under Standards & Procedures.

Are there size or length-of-time requirements to become a certified WBE?

No, in the event a business is in its first year of operations and does not yet have business tax forms available, we accept personal tax forms, but in general WBE WEConnect International certification is often used to grow a business, so, no matter how long the business has been operating, we recommend applying for WBE certification so the business is able to leverage the benefits of certification.

What is the price of certification?

The certification price is based on the business headquarters company and business size. The price will be indicated once you start the certification process and will be available under “Certification Cost.”

How do I pay for certification?

Payment methods accepted include major credit cards. Payment is made in US Dollars. For detailed instructions on how to pay for certification, see the “How Tos.”

What do I need to do to complete the certification process?

To complete the certification application process, please (1) submit all mandatory documents; (2) pay the certification fee; and (3) enter the payment Authorisation # provided on your payment receipt into the Enter Payment Confirmation Number (Author. #) field. For more details, see the “How Tos.”

How do I know the progress of my certification application?

You know your certification application is being processed in several ways:

1. When you complete your application and click Submit Response button, you will receive see a notice confirming “You have submitted a response.”

2. The contact email will receive an email approving your registration from Ariba Administrator email address. However if your business does not meet the criteria, you will recive a denial email.

3. If WEConnect International requires additional information to process your certification application, The contact email address will receive an email from Ariba Administrator email address.

4. After WEConnect International reviews your certification application, and your business meets the minimum criteria for certification, you will receive an email from a WEConnect International Assessor to set up an appointment.

What documents are required to submit with my certification application?

For a list of documents required to be submitted with your certification application, please refer to the WEConnect International Standards, Governance and Processes document which can be found at our website under Standards & Procedures.

What if my certification application is not approved?

If your application is not approved, WEConnect International will contact you by email and outline the reasons for the denial. You will be given 60 days to provide additional documentation for consideration. If sufficient documentation is not provided within 60 days, your application is denied. Your company is eligible to reapply for certification after one year.

Is my certification fee refundable if my certification application is not approved?

The certification fee is a non-refundable processing fee. We recommend ensuring you qualify for certification by reading our WEConnect International Standards, Governance, and Processes document which can be found at our website under Standards & Procedures and you are able to provide all mandatory documentation within the required timeframe.

What is the processing time for my certification application?

Processing time for certification applications is up to 90 days.

A buyer is asking for proof of the certification? What do I do?

It is your responsibility to provide the certificate if a buyer requests it. To get the certificate, once your certification is approved, please request a certificate from registration@weconnectinternational.org. Certificates will be sent to the contact email on your WECommunity profile. Please store the certificate in a safe place.

How long is a company’s certification valid?

The certification is valid for one year commencing from the date of Issue. WBE that wish to remain certified must recertify each year and are encouraged to begin the recertification process at least 90 days prior to the expiration date

When I try to log in, I get “unauthorized user” and “unexpected error”messages.

Option 1
Please try the following steps
1) Make sure you are using the right log in credentials
2) Close all browser tabs to ensure you do not have WECommunity opened on another tab or web browser
3) Clear cache/cookies
4) Try using a different web browser, for example Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari etc.
5) Try working in “Private Browsing,” or “Incognito” mode on your preferred web browser