Content presented by NAIOP Maryland
The University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB), the Baltimore Peninsula project team and MCB Real Estate, LLC are among the Maryland-area entities now partnering with Sweeten Enterprise to facilitate the hiring of Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE). The Baltimore-based company has developed a proprietary software platform that connects minority- and women-owned companies during the procurement process and tracks participation for the life of the project.
Sweeten Enterprise software enables real estate development and construction companies and a diverse set of other organizations to set clear and achievable diversity goals, track progress in real-time, identify and connect with diverse-owned businesses, and generate reports that demonstrate a company’s commitment to diversity. The software is automated to save money and time, to help developers comply with all applicable diversity regulations, and to help create more inclusive communities.
Earlier this summer, UMB revealed details of its agreement with Sweeten Enterprises that requires the software company “to implement a repository of businesses, including minority business enterprises that it maintains in the UMB Quantum Financial System.”
“UMB individuals who are authorized to use the Quantum Financial System will be able to initiate the procurement process for acquiring goods and/or services from these companies,” the university stated in a press release. “Access to this MBE repository will further UMB’s goal of inclusivity by creating a more diverse and equitable environment for all businesses.”
“UMB is committed to purchasing from a diverse set of businesses,” said UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell. “This software provides a valuable tool for our ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, giving us the data and resources we need to make meaningful progress.”
The Baltimore Peninsula project team – led by MAG Partners, MacFarlane Partners, Goldman Sachs Urban Investment and Sagamore Ventures – teamed with Sweeten to “provide an insightful, sustainable solution that allows Baltimore developers and prime contractors the ability to source MWBE talent, engage them in a meaningful way, and reduce the burden most MWBE firms face when trying to participate in these projects,” according to the Sweeten website.
MCB Real Estate forwards a mission to remain “a corporate role model to provide heightened awareness of the importance of supporting diverse businesses,” said Leland Shelton, Director of Government Relations.
“Sweeten’s platform is an invaluable tool in our goal of enhancing our reputation as a socially responsible and forward-thinking commercial real estate company,” Shelton said. “Aligning with Sweeten Enterprise furthers our goal of providing consistent and meaningful opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses with our high-profile projects, and remaining a national leader in community engagement practices and sustainability. Sweeten Enterprise software offers robust tools to track and report on supplier diversity metrics, ensuring compliance with MBE/WBE goals and providing transparency to stakeholders.”
