President’s Message: COVID-19
We are in unprecedented times. The spread of COVID-19 has disrupted every aspect of our lives, and things are changing quickly. I wanted to provide an update on the actions WBE Canada is taking to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our clients, our team and their families.
We have taken the following preventive measures: restricting non essential business travel; implementing audio and video conferencing wherever possible; continuously reviewing our guidelines around large events (see our Event Calendar for more information); and doing all we can to stay updated on COVID-19 developments and best practices recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
From a business perspective, WBE Canada is currently operating with no disruption. We continue to serve our community as we always have. We’re actively monitoring the situation and will continue to take guidance from public health authorities.
As an all-women team we understand the impact this pandemic will have on our WBE community. From unpaid caregiver responsibilities to economic stress, your commitment to strengthen capacity, resilience and success of Canadian WBEs is more important than ever. Here are just a couple of ideas to inspire you to support our community:
- Call your existing Certified WBE suppliers to offer support, training, or advice
- Review WBE database and engage a new supplier in your supply chain
- Increase spend with existing supplier
- Speed up payment to a Certified WBE company to help them with cash flow during these challenging times
- Partner with a Certified WBE to help you overcome recent challenges in your business/organization (e.g. train your staff how to work remotely)
- Turn in-person training/event experience into virtual opportunities (or participate in WBE Canada virtual events)
- Buy WBE products online
Resources for businesses
- Federal COVID-19 information
- Public Health COVID-19 information
- Travel Advice and Advisories
- Trade Commissioner – COVID-19 Resources for Canadian Businesses
- BDC – support for entrepreneurs impacted by coronavirus
- BDC – business continuity plan and templates
- Government of Canada – COVID-19 related procurement
Looking for more resources? Check these resources…
Thank you for your continued trust in our organization and people. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Silvia Pencak
President, WBE Canada
PS: To learn more about supporting Canadian women owned businesses through procurement, learn more about WBE Canada membership