T-Base Communications Receives National Certification as a Women's Business
Enterprise

OTTAWA, Nov. 23 /CNW/ - T-Base Communications, North America's leading alternate format producer, is getting a big business boost thanks to WEConnect Canada, a new corporate-led organization that provides Canada's premier certification program for women business owners. Sharlyn Ayotte, founder of T-Base Communications is among a growing group of women business owners across the country whose companies have been certified by WEConnect Canada.

The national standard of certification is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women. WEConnect Canada helps certified women-owned businesses connect to the growing corporate and public sector demand for diverse suppliers. "That's good not only for women, but for corporations and governments that can now easily source untapped and innovative new vendors," says Betty Wood, WEConnect Canada's Lead Strategist Women Business Enterprises. Women business owners in the U.S.A., the U.K. and recently India have similar certification programs. It's also being introduced across Europe and in China.

T-Base Communications knows all about diversity. The company is a minority and woman-owned business, founded by blind Chief Strategy Officer, Sharlyn Ayotte, that emerged out of the recognition of voids in services offered to the visually impaired. "By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations, and government agencies are demonstrating their commitment to fostering diversity, and that's something I am really passionate about and can whole heartedly support," said Sharlyn Ayotte, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer for T-Base Communications.

About T-Base Communications

T-Base is the global leader in the provision of secure and private alternate format customer communications. Specializing in braille, large print, e-Text and audio as well as accessible web presentation, T-Base Communications assists government and Fortune 500 companies to communicate with their customers who cannot access information in conventional ways.  Working with the most progressive companies globally, T-Base converts conventionally printed statements and documents into alternative formats privately and securely, providing leading organizations the opportunity to reach a wider audience while simultaneously meeting the diverse information needs of their client base.  www.tbase.com

About WEConnect Canada:

WEConnect Canada is part of a global certification initiative that is opening doors to supply chains for women business enterprises and helping corporations tap into innovative vendors. It also provides opportunities for women entrepreneurs to participate in education, training, and mentoring programs that help them connect with procurement officers of top corporations and with other certified firms to enhance their bidding capacities on large contracts. Founding members include: Accenture, Alcatel-Lucent, BMO Financial Group, Cisco, Ernst & Young, IBM, Manpower, Pfizer, Staples, and Wal-Mart. For more information, visit www.weconnectcanada.org.

For further information:

Media Contacts:

Deanna White, Media Relations, T-Base Communications, Inc. [phone] Ext. 231 or via email:  [email protected]

Mary Anderson, Executive Director, WEConnect Canada, [email protected]

Betty Wood, Lead Strategist, Women Business Enterprises, [email protected]