Supplier Diversity Program - MWBE Definition and Certification

The Empire State Development Corporation’s Division of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Development has specific criteria firms must meet to be certified as a Minority- and  Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE), one of which is meeting the definition of a minority- or woman-owned business.

State law defines minority- and women-owned businesses in the following manner:

Minority Business Enterprise – Any business/enterprise that is at least 51 percent owned by, or in the case of a publicly owned business at least 51 percent of the stock is owned by, citizens or permanent resident aliens who are:

Black persons having origins in any of the black African racial groups not of Hispanic origin;

Hispanic persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, Central or South American descent of either Indian or Hispanic origin, regardless of race;

Asian and Pacific Islander persons having origins in any of the Far East countries, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands; or

Native American or Alaskan native persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America.

Women-Owned Business Enterprise – Any business/enterprise that is at least 51 percent owned by, or in the case of a publicly owned business at least 51 percent of the stock is owned by, citizens or permanent resident aliens who are women.

To initiate your certification process or to obtain further information, contact the Empire State Development Corporation’s Division of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Development at:

Albany Office:

30 South Pearl Street
Albany, New York 12245
(518) 292-5250

New York City Office:

633 Third Avenue – 32nd floor
New York, New York 10017
(212) 803-2411

A firm must be certified by the State of New York in order to be recognized as an MWBE; however, lack of certification does not preclude a firm from doing business with the Power Authority.