360PR+, an award-winning, creative, leading independent agency, announced its certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Center for Women & Enterprise, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021, 360PR+ was founded by Laura Tomasetti, who has served as CEO since the agency’s inception. Additionally, the agency recently elevated another longtime female leader, Victoria Renwick, to Partner & EVP. Both Tomasetti and Renwick have been recognized as two of the PR industry’s top women leaders.
The WBENC was founded in 1997 with the goal of developing a standard for women-owned business certification. The standard of certification is implemented by the Center for Women & Enterprise and is a meticulous process, including an in-depth review of the business, its leadership, financials, products and services and other factors. The business must be at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women to receive the certification.
“We greatly appreciate the work of the WBENC to elevate and advocate for women-owned businesses,” said Tomasetti. “We’re proud to be recognized as a diverse business and are committed to supporting the next generation of women leaders and to fostering the success of all of our employees and clients. So much of that is steeped in our ability to invite and integrate diverse perspectives into our business and our clients’ businesses.”
According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, there are 11.6 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. owned employing nearly 9 million and generating $1.7 trillion in sales. The pandemic has disproportionately impacted women entrepreneurs, with calls from major U.S. corporations, such as MetLife, and other organizations to increase support of women-owned and other diverse-owned businesses.
