Even if you don’t work with a specific construction company, the industry has numerous opportunities for veteran-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. In an effort to create stronger partnerships, most construction companies are required to implement supplier diversity programs. Supplier diversity is the practice of purposefully including a diverse supplier pool when securing goods and services for a business. While this applies to businesses that are minority- and women-owned, these opportunities also extend to the veteran community.
Here’s how your small business can benefit from a supplier diversity partnership within the construction industry:
Opportunities for Business Growth
Supplier diversity partnerships are fantastic for business growth. They offer opportunities for steady working relationships with large-name corporations, a better insight into your clientele and how best to serve their needs, and exposure to other leading companies that may be interested in your services. In return, corporations can better curate their companies to fit the needs of the veteran community and open the doors for collaboration in supply chain innovation, increasing jobs for transitioning veterans.
Construction Understands Veterans
The construction industry is no stranger to the veteran community. Making up 6.5% of the total workforce, veterans are hired by construction companies for their ability to lead, adapt, work with their hands, stay organized, work in teams and work well under pressure. With so many veterans in their workforce, this also means that many construction companies are deeply familiar with the needs of the veteran community, often offering training and transitioning resources, veteran-focused ERGs and more.
Certification Opportunities
Your business must get certified as a veteran-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned business to explore supplier diversity opportunities. Once you have these credentials in place, you’ll reap the benefits of steady partnerships with larger-name corporations and gain access to a plethora of resources. With the proper certification, veteran-owned businesses can access workshops, conferences, networking groups and funding opportunities exclusive to certified veteran-owned businesses. These resources will help your business grow, strengthen and flourish.
For more certification information and resources on how to begin that process, visit:
- The Small Business Association: https://certify.sba.gov
- National Veteran Owned Business Association: https://navoba.org/certification
- National Veteran Business Development Council: https://nvbdc.org
The construction industry offers supplier diversity partnerships that are beneficial, communicative and understanding of the varied needs of veteran-owned businesses.
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