Here’s Why That Matters

Arched Consulting is now officially certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)—a recognition that I’m proud to share as the founder of this one-woman company.

It’s a meaningful milestone, not just because it opens doors, but because it affirms a quieter kind of work—one rooted in care, curiosity, and conscious choices.

Why I Started Arched Consulting

When I started Arched Consulting, it wasn’t to capitalize on a consulting boom or scale for the sake of growth. It was a personal attempt to better understand what sustainability really means in today’s world—and to explore how it could be integrated into the rigid, linear systems that still dominate corporate and institutional decision-making.

To be honest, even the word “consulting” gave me pause. It conjures memes of high-priced firms delivering AI-generated slides that boil down to “cut costs, increase revenue.”

That’s not what I set out to do.

While traditional consultants offer outside expertise to improve performance, my aim is more collaborative. I hope to share my experience, systems thinking, and ongoing learning journey—not to maximize unbounded growth, but to support sustained efficiency. Efficiency that respects not only your business goals, but also the planetary and social boundaries within which your business operates.

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What WBENC Certification Means

The WBENC certification is the most widely recognized designation for women-owned businesses in the U.S.

It confirms that a business is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman.

For small businesses like mine, it’s more than a label. It’s a way to connect with like-minded organizations, join supplier diversity programs, and support systems change—especially in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions

How It Connects to ESG

This isn’t just about identity. It’s also about performance. The presence of women in leadership has been linked to measurable improvements in ESG outcomes—especially when there’s real representation, not just tokenism.

A growing body of research shows that:

Companies with three or more women on their boards demonstrate significantly better ESG disclosure and overall ESG performance [1,2]
Gender-diverse audit committees improve the quality of voluntary ESG reporting [4]
The number of women in executive (not just non-executive) roles positively influences ESG metrics across the board [1,3]
Gender diversity helps reduce “ESG decoupling”—that gap between corporate performance and the story told in reports [5]

In other words: greater inclusion makes systems more honest, more transparent, and more aligned with the real world they aim to improve.

A Note on My Work

At Arched Consulting, I work with clients across industries to design better systems, processes, and strategies—ones that are practical, human-centered, and aligned with your mission. If you or your organization are navigating complex challenges, working toward sustainability, or trying to untangle internal bottlenecks, I can help.

✅ Strategy & systems mapping

✅ Decision-making & facilitation

✅ Organizational sustainability & alignment

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Final Thoughts

This certification doesn’t change how I work—it just gives it a name that others can recognize and trust. It's a reminder that real sustainability work is slow, iterative, and deeply personal. And that the most impactful transformations often begin with a single, intentional shift.

Sometimes, it starts with a small business. And sometimes, just one person.

Sources:

[1] De Masi, S.; Słomka-Gołębiowska, A.; Becagli, C.; Paci, A. Toward Sustainable Corporate Behavior: The Effect of the Critical Mass of Female Directors on Environmental, Social, and Governance Disclosure. Bus. Strategy Environ. 2021, 30, 1865–1878. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2721

[2] Cambrea, D. R.; Paolone, F.; Cucari, N. Advisory or Monitoring Role in ESG Scenario: Which Women Directors Are More Influential in the Italian Context? Bus. Strategy Environ. 2023, 32, 4299–4314. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3366

[3] Qiu, B.; Ren, H.; Zuo, J.; Cheng, B. Social Trust and Female Board Representation: Evidence from China. J. Bus. Ethics 2023, 188, 187–204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-022-05298-5

[4] Bravo, F.; Reguera-Alvarado, N. Sustainable Development Disclosure: Environmental, Social, and Governance Reporting and Gender Diversity in the Audit Committee. Bus. Strategy Environ. 2019, 28, 418–429. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2258