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WASHINGTON, DC – WEConnect International announced today that three new multinational corporations have joined as member buyers of the global NGO.
WEConnect International connects women-owned businesses based outside of the United States with member buyers committed to gender-responsive sourcing. Globally, there are approximately 224 million women entrepreneurs worldwide who participate in the ownership of nearly 35 percent of privately-owned firms in the formal economy.
“This is a challenging time for businesses across the globe dealing with the current pandemic,” said Michael Tobolski, Vice President of Member Development at WEConnect International. “Having these new corporate leaders join as members indicate their commitment to supplier diversity and inclusion and their desire to buy more from women-owned businesses.”
WEConnect International’s new corporate members are:
Jones Lang LaSalle – Joining as a Global Member, Jones Lang LaSalle or JLL is an American company that buys, builds, occupies and invests in industrial, commercial, retail, residential and hotel commercial real estate. From tech startups to global firms, their clients span industries including banking, energy, healthcare, law, manufacturing and technology.
Medtronic – Joining as a Global Member, Medtronic plc is a global leader in medical technology, services and solutions, headquartered in the Republic of Ireland. Medtronic has four main business units: Minimally Invasive Therapies Group, the Diabetes Group, the Restorative Therapies Group and the Cardiac and Vascular Group. Medtronic develops and manufactures devices and therapies to treat more than 30 chronic diseases, including heart failure, Parkinson disease, spinal disorders and diabetes.
Nippon Seiki – Joining as a Market Member in Mexico, the company, headquartered in Japan, is a major manufacturer of automotive meters and instruments for passenger cars and motorcycles as well as general-purpose LCD elements and consumer products.
WEConnect International members recognize that women account for over $20 trillion in spending per year and are involved in over 80 percent of consumer purchasing decisions worldwide. The real drivers of the economy are women—as business leaders, employees, consumers and entrepreneurs. And yet, globally women-owned businesses earn less than 1 percent of the money spent on vendors by large corporations and governments.
WEConnect International was created to move that needle above 1 percent by generating market access opportunities for women business owners to sell their goods and services to large qualified buyers around the world.
“We are thrilled to welcome JLL, Medtronic and Nippon Seiki to the WEConnect International community. By working together to level the playing field for women-owned businesses in more than 100 countries, we are removing obstacles to connect women to the global economy,” said Elizabeth A. Vazquez, CEO and Co-Founder of WEConnect International.
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For more information or media interviews, please contact, Angela Walker, VP of Communications, at awalker@weconnectinternational.org or +1-202-446-8840.
For corporate membership, contact Michael Tobolski, VP of Member Development, mtobolski@weconnectinternational.org, or online.
For details on Registering Your Women-Owned Business or becoming a certified Women Business Enterprise, please contact Nikki Reid, Director of Certification and Training, nreid@weconnectinternational.org
