In the shift towards sustainable business, women-owned businesses can play a key role. Women are opening businesses at rates that are double the national average for small businesses. Women-owned businesses control significant amounts of capital and provide important sources of employment. While much attention in the green business world is given to the sustainability practices of large corporations, the tremendous growth of women-owned businesses indicates that this segment can have a significant impact in moving us closer to businesses that are financially profitable, ecologically sustainable, and socially beneficial.

Consider the following:

• According to the National Women’s Business Council, if U.S.-based women-owned businesses were their own country, they would have the 5th largest GDP in the world.
• Women-owned businesses employ more people than the Fortune 500 companies.
• Between 1997-2002, the number of women-owned businesses grew 20 percent, twice the national average, and generated more than $940 billion in revenue, an increase of 15 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau report on women-owned firms.
• Today, the revenue from women-owned businesses is estimated at $2.8 trillion, according to an October 2009 report on the economic impact of women-owned businesses.

Resources for women entrepreneurs:

• National Association of Women Business Owners: The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is the only dues-based organization representing the interests of women entrepreneurs across all industries. The organization has over 7,000 in over 80 chapters nationwide.
• National Women’s Business Council: The National Women’s Business Council is a bi-partisan federal advisory council created to serve as an independent source of advice and counsel to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners.
• Office of Women’s Business Ownership: The Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO) is part of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The OWBO coordinates a nationwide network of Women’s Business Centers that offer business training and counseling to help women start and grow successful businesses.
• U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce: The Women’s Chamber of Commerce (WCC) serves as a non-partisan advocacy group for women-owned businesses. The WCC combines research and lobbying in Washington with practical tools and resources to advance and promote women-owned businesses. Noteworthy projects include the Global Women’s Marketplace, an online community, and a June 2010 report on the Women-Led Economy.