Page 14 - BEQ Magazine Iss 23 FINAL v3

The SHE Mark
co-founders, Ilana
Broad and Sterling
Champion . global economic gender equality would add nearly easy way to compare
$30 trillion to global GDP. “So, our failure to pro- products. But it is also
mote women (and pay them equally), as well as available to B2B enter-
prioritize businesses that hire and promote with prises.
gender equity, has likely hurt The SHE Mark has cer-
our families and local com- tified about 50 applicants,
munities,” they say. most of those in the past few
The idea for The SHE Mark months as the firm has begun to
came to co-founder Cham- hit a stride after being launched
pion when she wanted to buy in spring 2020, just as the pandemic
only food and drinks from threw the country into upheaval.
women-owned businesses Companies large and small in any field
for an International Women’s or sector can apply for The SHE Mark, which
Day event. Hours of walking comes in three versions: SHEruns, SHEmakes and
store aisles and Googling cor- SHEowns. Knowing that many women-led busi-
porate structures convinced nesses are small, Broad and Champion designed
Champion of the need for the certification process to be straightforward
a simple designating mark. and quick. Filling out the application takes 20-40
She approached Broad with minutes, and companies learn if they’ve earned
questions about trademarking the concept. The certification in a couple of weeks. Once certified,
two had been friends for years and soon they were businesses can use the mark for two years before
business partners. needing recertification.
As its origin story indicates, The SHE Mark is While there are other certifications available
designed for B2C companies, giving shoppers an for women-owned businesses, Broad says The

14 SUMMER 2022 BUSINESSEQUALITYMAGAZINE .COM