Web Article September 20, 2018
An exploration of the interaction between business certifications, procurement policy, and ESOPs. The intersection between ESOPs and business ownership certifications (such as minority-, woman-, and veteran-owned) is often seen as a tough one to navigate. Though the regulations guiding procurement and contracting policy are strict for a reason, they can become prohibitive when less straightforward business structures are involved, so much so that many businesses fear losing their very valuable certifications should they sell more than 50% of the company to employees. This oftentimes only serves to penalize the populations they're supposed to serve—women, minorities, veterans, and the business owners and employees who belong to aforementioned groups. Thanks to a generous contribution from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the NCEO was able to begin exploring these interactions more in depth. This page will serve as the repository for resources as we continue to work in this field.