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Diversity certifications available on US profiles

lenaellis
Community Member

Today we are excited to announce the release of Diversity certifications on profiles. U.S.-based freelancers and agencies with registered businesses that have earned certification can now provide their diversity certification information and details to be displayed on their profiles.  These certifications are available for the following businesses:

  • Minority-owned 
  • Woman-owned 
  • U.S. veteran-owned
  • Disability-owned
  • LGBTQ+-owned

 

Our goal is to create a more inclusive platform by providing underrepresented groups access to economic opportunities.  To start, this certification will only show to Enterprise and Business clients as we monitor the impact. These clients have indicated they are most interested in seeking out diverse businesses and often have diversity and inclusion initiatives as part of their hiring practices. 



How does it work?

Talent will now see a “Diversity certification” section on their profile (right rail for agencies and left rail for freelancers)

 

They can select which type of diversity business they have:

  • Minority-owned 
  • Woman-owned 
  • U.S. veteran-owned
  • Disability-owned
  • LGBTQ+-owned

 

They’ll be asked to enter their certification information, including legal business name, certification number, expiration date, etc.

 

Once certification details have been entered, talent will see the indicator on their profile as “self-reported”. Upwork is currently working with certifying bodies in the U.S. only.

Note: A diverse business may qualify for more than one certification.

75 Comments
petra_r
Community Member

Edited because I just saw that what I mentioned will be addressed in 2021

colettelewis
Community Member

I would like my genuine certifications to be recognized. I would like that Upwork acknowledge a certain professional body outside of USA (particularly California) as being a professional and globally recognized institution of excellence. I would like Upwork to recognize that breaching copyright of this particular institution is a no-no. 

 

That said - I want to be recognized professionally, whether I am hetero, gay, black, green, yellow, white, blue, red, **Edited for Community Guidelines**, British, Irish, French  or any other nation that is accepted by "Californian" Upwork. The only label I accept is the one I give myself. 

 

 

 

researchediting
Community Member

Nichola L wrote:

....I want to be recognized professionally, whether I am hetero, gay, black, green, yellow, white, blue, red, **Edited for Community Guidelines**, British, Irish, French  or any other nation that is accepted by "Californian" Upwork. The only label I accept is the one I give myself. 


OK. That's why the diversity badges, unlike the ones bestowed by our profitability metrics, have to be applied for. I'm not sure why the swipe at California—the relevant statutes, regulations, and SEC rules are federal/national.

dmullen1
Community Member

Thanks for the information Lena! Question for you. When I attempt to add a diversity certification, and I select the option saying "I don't have a certification" the "No problem. We can help you get certified!" message comes up with a link saying "Learn more about how to get certified". This link, pasted below, takes me to a page that says "You're not authorized to access this page". Is this an error, or just temporary with an update to the page coming soon?

 

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055866253

AleksandarD
Community Manager

Hi Demetrius,

 

Thanks for taking the time to report this to us! I shared the issue with the help article with our team so that it can be fixed.

Thank you.

skodtdesign
Community Member

I am not seeing the button on my profile page.  I would like to add my certification number.

JoanneP
Moderator

Hi Jarrett,

 

I have shared your concern with the team so that they can check. One of our agents will also reach out to you via a support ticket to assist you further. 

skodtdesign
Community Member

I can only speak to my own field and situation, but folks are mixing apples and oranges in responses.

Here is an example:  Federal construction projects in the US, by law, require companies to certify prior to bidding that they are either Veteran-Owned or disclose how many veterans that the company has on staff.  So a Landscape Architecture firm that wants to bid on a Veterans Cemetery project is required to certify prior to putting in a bid.  Because there are not a lot of military veterans working in the Landscape Architecture field, so potential contracts and projects go unfulfilled due to lack of required diversity certification.

Companies look to hire freelancers with the diversity certifications to meet statutory requirements in the US, that is why it is important for UpWork to be able to accomodate those of us with those certifications.  It opens up a whole other segment of the market for may firms to bid on projects that they would otherwise not be able to bid on and subsequently opens opportunities for freelancers to get on larger projects. 

It makes sense that a US base company would start a program like this in the US.  In the future, if upwork is able to accomodate to the requirements of other countries, that would be great.  People-Per-Hour is doing something similiar to meet the statutory requirements in the UK (People-Per-Hour is a UK based freelancing company)

psych101
Community Member

Viacheslav K wrote:

Uhm, why was my comment deleted? 
I had a contract that ended after the client discovered I was part of LGBTQ+. It's a real issue. 


I am uncertain about the freelance world; however, termination of a contract due to sexual orientation (or race, religion, gender, etc.) is discriminatory and illegal. 

 

Situations like this should not happen.  I am so sorry that happened to you.    

carr-beth
Community Member

How do I receive Women-owned and Minority-owned certification? I click on the link Learn more about how to get certified but the URL redirects to the main FAQ page. Is this program on hold? I would love to add these certifications to my profile since they are both applicable.

 

Best,

 

Beth