Office Depot honored for working with women-owned businesses

BOCA RATON, Fla. —Office Depot was named to the 2012 list of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). This marks the eleventh year that Office Depot has been included on the selective list.

“We are honored to be recognized by WBENC for the dedication Office Depot has demonstrated to supporting the success, growth and advancement of women-owned businesses,” said Michael Allison, EVP human resources for Office Depot. “We are committed to actively conducting business with WBENC-certified women's business enterprises, and encourage breaking down barriers and uncovering new growth opportunities for women business owners.”

In its inclusion on WBENC's list, Office Depot was specifically lauded for the company's Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Catalog. Office Depot created the first and only annual HUB Catalog for the office supplies industry in 2009, which features the company’s complete assortment of products sold by HUB vendors. Today, the catalog contains over 1,600 products offered by certified HUBs. This initiative not only fuels growth in sales, inventory turnover, and market expansion for these enterprises, it also provides a simple, straightforward mechanism to help business customers meet their diversity purchasing goals.

“Thanks to the extraordinary leadership of our top corporations, women’s businesses are generating strategies and solutions for meeting the fast-changing needs of today’s marketplace. Together they are driving the innovation that fuels a stronger economy and creates jobs,” said Pamela Prince-Eason, President and CEO of WBENC.