PARTNER CONSIDERATIONS
If you're applying to be a CanWCC Trusted Partner, you may have questions about why we are asking you for certain information about your business.
Below we have provided some context for why we - as a women's Chamber of Commerce - are discerning about those with whom we partner. Know that answers will not "disqualify" anyone from being a partner, but all answers will be weighed in our partner choices. We know that change happens gradually. However, by continually shining a light on the change that we wish to see, we advocate for that change.
So we can better get to know you, please fill out the form with as much information as you have available. By reading our considerations below, we hope to give you the tools to create complete and specific answers that capture your work in the best possible light. If your organization has a social responsibility or DEI officer, you may wish to engage their assistance in ensuring your organization is represented in the best possible light.
1. Why do you ask if our organization is woman owned or woman-majority owned?
2. Why do you ask if our organization is based in Canada?
Because we are a Canadian Chamber of Commerce, working to improve trade and industry within Canada, we will favour Canadian organizations. We and our members are based in Canada and our members prefer to give their business to Canadian organizations.
At this time there is unfortunately less need for global businesses to be considered. The majority of women-owned businesses do not export, and this is due to several (often gendered) reasons. Firstly, women are the largest cohort of self-employed business owners in Canada, largely running consultancies. These one-women shows may have some international clients, but are statistically more likely to remain domestic. Additionally, there is a capacity issue: women report still being the default parent and primary home custodian within their families. This can hinder a woman entrepreneur's ability to continue to scale their business.
3. Why do you ask what percentage of our board and executive teams are women-identifying?
4. Why do you ask about our organization's values?
Because we want to ensure we are partnering with organizations whose values match ours.
Our values center around Community, Connection, Impact, and Resources. These are the core to our daily work and our long-term strategy. We create community with our member's portal and our events. Connection comes from programs such as this partner program, as well as networking events and other opportunities. Our advocacy work is how we make our greatest impact, which is focused around economic equity as a human right. And finally, we work very hard to provide our members and community with the support and resources they need to thrive, including putting our entire partner network at their disposal
5. Why do you ask about our organization's diversity programs?
It benefits everyone to ensure our organizations are diverse. Canada's Global Affairs notes that "inclusive societies that take full advantage of their diversity are more innovative, creative, dynamic, resilient and prosperous." Unfortunately, systems still actively work against diversity, and need dismantling or iteration. We rely on not just government and community leaders but also business leaders to be willing to stand up and walk their talk.
At CanWCC, we advocate for diverse organizations to ensure that no child in Canada grows up without having role models that look like them. Additionally, we see diversity in organizations as an important indicator toward our chamber's goal of economic equity for all. Read our Trans Inclusivity Statement HERE and our Commitment To Anti-Racism HERE.
6. Why do you ask about our pay equity achievements?
Organizations have been working to close Canada's gender pay gap, but there's still work to do. Although women in full-time roles are now making almost 90 cents on the dollar paid to white cis men, racialized women get less than 60 cents. At our current rate, it will take 267 YEARS to achieve pay equity. We need organizations to be rigorous and mindful in their pay equity practices, and to be leaders for businesses who have yet to prioritize it.
Part of our awareness strategy is to choose pay equity leaders as our partner and shine a light upon them for their leadership.
7. Why do you ask about how we support inclusion?
It is crucial for the wellbeing of Canadian society that women are able to realize their full potential, a right written into our human rights code but not yet a reality. Canadian women, people of colour, immigrants, and disabled persons are all untapped resources for our country. Tell us how is your organization doing the right thing?...for both under-represented groups as well as your business?
We have a 'come as you are' policy and we are inclusive of all women-identifying and non-binary business owners. Like many organizations, we are continually learning and reworking both internal and external practices to imbue justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our work.
8. Why do you want to know what we are looking for in a partnership with CanWCC?
We are looking for engaged partners who see us as more than an opportunity to performatively slap a woman's org partner logo on their website to make them look as if they are progressive and innovative in their organizations's values. We want organizations that are TRUE partners and who seek to actively engage in our work and with our members.
As an organization, we expend a lot of effort promoting our partnerships to our members and beyond. We look for organizations that reciprocate that effort. We know that you wish to build partnerships that support your business objectives; we do too. Our objectives include reaching a broader audience and bringing awareness to corporations whose values and actions promote gender and economic equality.
For transparency's sake, here are the expectations we have of our Trusted Partners:
- Be willing to "introduce" us to their staff and customers
- Be willing to support our International Women's Day plans and other events.
- Include our partner badge on their website with a backlink to CanWCC
- Be willing to engage in a fireside chat discussing your org's JEDI practices, which will be uploaded to our podcast and our blog.
9. What do you want to know about the promotional offer we have created for CanWCC?
We are looking for partners who are willing to dig deep and give back. We look for the most compelling and lucrative offers for our members in helping support them building and scaling their business. Are we asking for special consideration of women-identified business owners? We absolutely are, and here's why:
- Women have a much harder time raising capital - they still get less than 4% of the available money. If women can't access the capital to build and scale, then another way to support this lack of funding is to provide deep discounts for the business tools and resources they need to succeed.
- Women's work has been traditionally undervalued, and in Canada women are still paid less than men. This affects women-owned businesses by having less in savings to leverage for business startup costs as well as often not being able to command the same consultancy fees as men. Discounts and promotions help close that gap for women.