Supplier diversity

Message from CEO Classifications Obtaining certifications Register now

Embracing the responsibility of supplier diversity

Organizations strive for supplier diversity by creating fair and equal conditions for potential suppliers, helping them compete for business within their supply chains.¹

Crowe is committed to and supports companies that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by minorities, women, veterans, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities – all diverse suppliers.

Our supplier diversity program is an essential part of our overall strategy, mission, and core values. Our procurement efforts reflect this, and we expect the same with our suppliers.

The purpose that drives us

Our purpose, along with our core values, guides our decisions. In living our purpose, our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion doesn’t just exist within the walls of Crowe but must extend to the organizations and communities that we choose to work with.

That is why we are committed to hiring and supporting vendors owned, operated, and controlled by racial and ethnic minorities, women, veterans, LGBTQ people, and persons with disabilities – all diverse suppliers.

Our choices in vendors must reflect the diverse world we live in. By making sure inclusion extends to our procurement process, our words become our actions and amplify the economic development of our suppliers. The choices we make today will help strengthen the communities of tomorrow.

Mark Baer
CEO, Crowe LLP

Understanding supplier diversity classifications

First- and second-tier diverse suppliers have various classifications to identify them as being diverse. Following is a list of classifications that are generally accepted within the supplier diversity community and for which Crowe will seek opportunities for meaningful working relationships.

Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)

A business that is at least 51% owned, controlled, operated, and managed by people with a disability may qualify as a DOBE.²

Service-Disabled Veteran Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVDOBE)

A business that is at least 51% owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a veteran who sustained a disability while in military service may qualify as an SDVDOBE.²

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

A business can qualify for this classification if the owners can establish that they are socially and economically disadvantaged, that they control their business, and that they own 51% or more of it. Communities presumed to be socially or economically disadvantaged include women, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, Subcontinent Asian Pacific Americans, or other minorities the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) finds to be disadvantaged.³

HUBZone Small Business

For businesses to qualify for the SBA HUBZone program, they must be a small business following SBA standards and be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a community development corporation, an agricultural cooperative, an Alaska Native corporation, a Native Hawaiian organization, or an American Indian tribe. At least 35% of these businesses’ employees must live in a HUBZone and their principal office must be located within a HUBZone.⁴

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Business Enterprise (LGBTBE)

Businesses seeking to certify as LGBT enterprises must be at least 51% owned, operated, managed, and controlled by LGBT people who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. The principal location of the business must also be headquartered in the U.S., be formed as a legal entity of the U.S., and demonstrate independence from any non-LGBT business enterprise.⁵

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)

Business enterprises owned by minority individuals are those at least 51% owned by U.S. citizens who are Asian Indian, Asian Pacific, African American, Hispanic, and Native American are considered MBEs. These businesses are owned, managed, and controlled by such minorities. In the case of publicly owned businesses, at least 51% of the stock must be owned by one or more minority group members.⁶

Small Business Enterprise (SBE)

Whether a business qualifies as a small business is determined by size standards set by the SBA. Varying by industry, size standards are commonly predicated on the number of employees or the annual gross income a given business takes in. These size standards set limits on the size of businesses eligible to participate in programs and contracts reserved for small businesses.⁷

Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)

Businesses qualify as small and disadvantaged when they meet criteria established by the Code of Federal Regulations. Set criteria require the company to be at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more disadvantaged people, that the people are both socially and economically disadvantaged, and that the firm is classified as small, according to the SBA's size standards.⁸

Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)

A small business verified as veteran-owned is one that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more people who have served on active duty with the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard for any length of time and have been honorably discharged.⁹

Women's Business Enterprise (WBE)

Businesses certifying as WBEs are those that can document they are at least 51% owned, managed, controlled, and led by one or more women. The female owners, managers, controllers, and leaders of the business entity must also be citizens or lawful permanent residents of the U.S.¹⁰

Obtaining acceptable supplier diversity certifications

Crowe encourages diverse suppliers to obtain independent third-party certification. Certification is the process by which organizations verify that businesses meet certain criteria of ownership, control, and management.

We could still pursue relationships with diverse businesses that are not certified, but we strongly encourage certification.

Our suggested certification agencies:

National Minority Supplier Development Council

Women’s Business Enterprise National Council

National LGBT Chamber of Commerce

Disability:IN

Small Business Administration

Register for our supplier diversity program

Please fill out our form to be considered for the Crowe supplier diversity program. You can also reach us with any questions at [email protected].

Explore our other commitment areas

Diversity, equity & inclusion

Corporate responsibility

Purpose and values

¹ "Supplier Diversity," The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, March 27, 2024, https://www.cips.org/knowledge/procurement-topics-and-skills/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/supplier-diversity/
² "Get Certified," Disability:IN, Jan. 18, 2022, https://disabilityin.org/what-we-do/supplier-diversity/get-certified/
³ "Do You Qualify as a DBE?," U.S. Department of Transportation, March 27, 2024, https://www.transportation.gov/civil-rights/disadvantaged-business-enterprise/do-you-qualify-dbe
⁴ "HUBZone Program," U.S. Small Business Administration, March 27, 2024, https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program#section-header-5
⁵ "Certification Criteria & Process," FAQ #1, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, March 27, 2024, https://nglcc.org/lgbtbe-certification/certification-criteria-process/
⁶"Definition of an MBE," National Minority Supplier Development Council, March 27, 2024, https://nmsdc.org/mbes/what-is-an-mbe/
⁷ "Size Standards, "U.S. Small Business Administration, March 27, 2024, https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/size-standards#section-header-0
⁸ "Small Disadvantaged Business," U.S. Small Business Administration, March 27, 2024, https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/size-standards#section-header-0s
⁹ "Veteran Small Business Certification," U.S. Small Business Administration, March 27, 2024, https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/
¹⁰ "Certification," Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, March 27, 2024, https://www.wbenc.org/certification/