November 1, 2019
Washington, D.C. – The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the business voice of the LGBT community, is proud to announce an ever-growing coalition for New York City Council bill 1463, a bill to include LGBT-owned businesses in contracting and procurement opportunities throughout the city and recognize NGLCC’s exclusive Certified LGBT Business Enterprise (Certified LGBTBE®) certification.
This bill, sponsored by openly gay Councilman Ritchie Torres and supported by the City Council LGBT Caucus, has yet to be given a hearing in the Committee on Small Business, despite both public support and extensive precedent in other cities across America and in NYC Department of Small Business Servces (SBS) exisiting policies.
“The NGLCC and the LGBT business owners we represent are elated to see some of New York City’s largest corporate and business nonprofit leaders, along with Comptroller Scott Stringer, stand with us in supporting this important bill. We look forward to working closely and collaboratively with Speaker Johnson and the Council to help LGBT entrepreneurs in NYC finally have the opportunity to create jobs and develop innovations that benefit all who live there. We are excited to see Certified LGBTBEs® in every field from construction to catering and everything in between help grow the economy of New York City and beyond,” said NGLCC Co-Founder & President Justin Nelson.
NGLCC and nglccNY are pleased to have the support of all major minority business partner organizations in NYC, along with the Council LGBTQ Caucus, the Comptroller’s office, and the corporations below:
NYC LGBTBE Public Sector Inclusion Supporters (as of November 1, 2019):
ADP
American Meetings, Inc.
Bayer
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Comcast
DuPont
Dun & Bradstreet
Hilton
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
KPMG
Marriott International
Manhattan Chamber of Commerce (MCC)
Merck
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
nlgccNY
Novartis
OBOX Solutions
OutSmart Office
Queens Chamber of Commerce
Retail Council of New York
Rivendell Media Company
The New Bronx Chamber of Commerce
Turner Construction Company
US Tennis Association (USTA)
Verizon
ADP
American Meetings, Inc.
Bayer
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Comcast
DuPont
Dun & Bradstreet
Hilton
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
KPMG
Marriott International
Manhattan Chamber of Commerce (MCC)
Merck
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
nlgccNY
Novartis
OBOX Solutions
OutSmart Office
Queens Chamber of Commerce
Retail Council of New York
Rivendell Media Company
The New Bronx Chamber of Commerce
Turner Construction Company
US Tennis Association (USTA)
Verizon
“As New York City’s Chief Financial Officer, I am charged with ensuring integrity in City contracting, and I believe that the City’s procurement system should be a vehicle for economic inclusion. The country has often looked to New York City as a beacon of LGBT progress, but cities including Tampa, Florida; Los Angeles, California; and Baltimore, Maryland all moved to certify LGBT-owned business enterprises before us. It is imperative that New York City join them immediately by requiring the Department of Small Business Services to include LGBT owned business enterprises in its EBE program,” said New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who has long advocated for procurement changes to support LGBT-owned businesses, in a recent letter to the City Council.
In August 2019, at the 2019 NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference in Tampa, FL, openly LGBT Mayor Jane Castor announced an executive order to include Certified LGBTBEs® in her city, following Mayor Eric Garcetti’s historic announcement to do the same in Los Angeles just days before. In 2018 and early 2019, NGLCC won the inclusion of Certified LGBTBEs® in Orlando, FL; Nashville, TN; Baltimore, MD; Jersey City, NJ; and Hoboken, NJ, while also advancing statewide bills in New York and New Jersey. Currently, California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania also include certified LGBT-owned businesses, along with major cities like Seattle, Newark, Columbus, and Philadelphia.
For LGBT citizens of New York, this inclusive policy provides fair and equal access to contracting opportunities and economic development programs that drive innovation, create jobs, and promote economic growth throughout the region. NGLCC represents the interests of America’s 1.4 million LGBT business owners, with the New York Metro area being one of the largest concentrations of Certified LGBT Business Enterprises (Certified LGBTBEs®) anywhere in the nation.
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ABOUT NGLCC:
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses, known as Certified LGBT Business Enterprises (Certified LGBTBEs®). www.nglcc.org @nglcc
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses, known as Certified LGBT Business Enterprises (Certified LGBTBEs®). www.nglcc.org @nglcc
New York City area businesses wishing to become a Certified LGBTBE® can contact nglccNY at www.nglccny.org
