Phoenix, AZ: YellowBird, a nationwide gig economy marketplace that matches vetted risk and environmental, health and safety (EHS) professionals with businesses on-demand, announces that it has been certified as a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) through Disability:IN™, a national non-profit helping businesses drive performance by leveraging disability inclusion in the workplace, supply chain, and marketplace.

By joining the Disability:IN™ Supplier Diversity program, YellowBird becomes part of the nationwide community of disability-owned businesses meeting the needs of organizations seeking to diversify their supply chain. To qualify for the national certification for disability and service-disabled veteran business owners, Disability:IN™ requires companies to show at least 51% ownership, management, and control by an individual with a disability as defined by the first prong of the Americans with Disabilities Act. YellowBird’s CEO and Founder Michael Zalle, who was born with a limb disability, matched the criteria, qualifying YellowBird to be certified.

“Building an inclusive economy for all Americans isn’t just morally right, it also drives business growth,” said Michael Zalle, CEO and Founder of YellowBird. “As an individual born with a disability, I feel honored to join the DOBE community and excited about meeting the needs of companies across the country that value the partnership with a DOBE organization.”

Promoting inclusion is at the core of YellowBird. Michael Zalle founded the company in 2019 after he realized that the $55-billion global risk and safety industry was losing significant knowledge due to the wave of retiring Baby Boomers. He saw an opportunity to leverage technology to connect professionals with companies in need of expertise for short-term projects. By doing so, YellowBird also offers EHS workers the ability to apply their expertise to jobs beyond retirement age and creates an extra income opportunity for young professionals.

Today, YellowBird provides businesses in insurance, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, risk management, and other sectors with access to over 2,000 vetted and insured EHS professionals in all 50 states. With its on-demand services, YellowBird is an affordable channel to EHS expertise so businesses can solve critical problems, save time, reduce costs, and operate more safely. Services include OSHA incident investigations and mock audits, industrial hygiene, on-site safety manager, program and policy development, custom projects, and training.

“Disability:IN™ is advancing business opportunities and supply chain inclusion for entrepreneurs with disabilities, and we take pride in helping innovative and dedicated individuals with disabilities grow their business,” said Jill Houghton, Disability:IN’s President and CEO. “We are excited to welcome YellowBird into the Disability:IN family and can’t wait to witness all the growth that YellowBird will unleash now through the DOBE certification.”

By doing business with a DOBE certified organization, employers help bridge the gap between business opportunities and the community of people with disabilities nationwide. Employers interested in diversifying their supply chain can partner with YellowBird for risk and safety compliance projects, support disability inclusion in business, and foster a culture for all Americans.