The Oxford English Dictionary defines diversity as the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc. It also describes inclusion as the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups.
Defining XBE
The term XBE was established in recognition of the lack of inclusion for all disadvantaged businesses. The eligibility to be certificated as DBE is not all-inclusive of every socially or economically disadvantaged group and thus the Diversity Consortium has recognized the necessity for encapsulation.
Created and designed to remedy the ongoing discrimination and continued effects of past discrimination in the marketplace; the term XBE will be used as an inclusive location of all DBE. This is a place where all hardworking, honest businesses providing great service can thrive.
The Diversity Consortium chooses to use a single all-encompassing term that better reflects inclusivity.
Take out the categories; remove the labels. Call them XBEs.
The Diversity Consortium recognizes the following diversity classifications:
Small Business Administration (SBA-8a)
Disabled business (DBE)
Disadvantaged business (DISAD)
Disabled-veteran-owned business (DVBE)
Historically black colleges and universities and minority institutions (HBCU)
HUB-zone small business (HUB)
Labor Surplus Area (LSA)
- Geographic Business Enterprise (GBE)
Lesbian-, gay-, bisexual-, transgender- and queer-owned business (LGBTQ+)
Minority-owned business (MBE)
Service-disabled-veteran-owned business (SDVBE)
Small disadvantaged business (SDIS)
Veteran-owned business (VBE)
Woman-owned business (WBE)
All categories of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (XBE)
Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)
The Diversity Consortium recognizes organizations including, but not limited to the following:
National Minority Supplier Development Council
National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
National Veteran Business Development Council
U.S. Small Business Administration
Minority Business Development Agency (U.S. Department of Commerce)
National Black Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Veteran and Military Business Owners Association
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