Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) is one of the largest pharmacy-led health and beauty retailers in the world, with roughly $140 billion in annual revenue across its Walgreens, Boots, and international brands. Its supplier diversity program is not a checkbox. The company holds active NMSDC and WBENC memberships, publishes annual diversity commitments, and routes a portion of pharmacy supplies, beauty products, and store services through certified diverse businesses.
Getting in front of the right buyer takes preparation. Here is what you need to know before you submit a profile.
The WBA supplier diversity program
WBA's supplier diversity effort sits inside Global Procurement and is framed around three supplier categories: Tier 1 (direct contracts with WBA), Tier 2 (subcontracts through prime suppliers), and community spend. The company publicly commits to growing its diverse supplier base year over year, with a stated focus on increasing spend with minority- and women-owned businesses in the United States.
WBA is a member of:
- NMSDC (National Minority Supplier Development Council) — for MBE-certified suppliers
- WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council) — for WBE-certified suppliers
- Disability:IN — for disability-owned business enterprises (DOBE)
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) — for LGBTBE-certified suppliers
The company also tracks veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned business spending, aligned with federal SDVOSB definitions.
WBA does not publish a single aggregate diverse spend dollar figure in its annual reports. It reports on progress in its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure. The 2023 ESG report references continued growth in diverse supplier spend but stops short of naming a specific dollar target publicly. If you need current numbers for a pitch deck, request the supplier diversity team's most recent spend data directly when you make contact.
Certifications WBA recognizes
WBA accepts the following certifications:
- MBE — issued by NMSDC regional affiliates
- WBE — issued by WBENC regional partner organizations
- WOSB/EDWOSB — SBA-issued Women-Owned Small Business certification
- SDVOSB — SBA-issued Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
- VOSB — Veteran-Owned Small Business (SBA registry or VA verification)
- LGBTBE — NGLCC certification
- DOBE — Disability:IN certification
- SBE/DBE — some state-level designations are accepted for localized procurement
If you do not yet hold one of these certifications, NMSDC MBE or WBENC WBE are the two most recognized at WBA for product and service categories. Federal certifications (WOSB, SDVOSB) carry weight for pharmacy and government-adjacent supply chains.
Allow 60 to 120 days for MBE or WBE certification, depending on your regional affiliate. Do not wait until you have the certificate to start the WBA registration process. You can register and flag that certification is in progress.
Where and how to register
WBA uses the Coupa Supplier Portal for supplier onboarding. You do not submit a cold email or PDF profile. The process:
- Go to suppliers.walgreensbootsalliance.com (WBA's external supplier page) and locate the "Become a Supplier" or "Supplier Registration" link. The exact URL path changes periodically, so verify via the main WBA corporate site under "Our Company > Suppliers" if the direct link is stale.
- You will be redirected to Coupa. Create a Coupa account using your business email if you do not already have one.
- Complete the supplier profile: business type, NAICS codes, product/service categories, certifications (upload certificates), annual revenue, and key contacts.
- Flag your diversity certifications explicitly in the diversity section of the profile. Coupa surfaces these to WBA's procurement team when they run sourcing events.
- Submit. You will receive an acknowledgment. Active solicitations are not guaranteed — WBA reviews profiles when a relevant category is open.
Registration is free. There is no application fee. Coupa itself is free for suppliers.
One practical note: WBA procurement teams run sourced bids through Coupa, so an incomplete profile will not surface in a search. Fill out every field. Attach certificates as PDFs. List NAICS codes specifically rather than broad groupings.
Product and service categories WBA sources from diverse suppliers
WBA's diverse supplier spend is concentrated in several areas:
Pharmacy and health: packaging suppliers, generic drug intermediaries, pharmacy equipment, clinical supplies, cold-chain logistics. Most pharmacy product contracts go through large distributors, but WBA has targeted initiatives to increase Tier 1 direct spend with diverse manufacturers.
Beauty and personal care: this is one of the most accessible entry points for product companies. WBA's owned-brand beauty portfolio (No7, Soap & Glory, Liz Earle, others) sources ingredients, contract manufacturing, and packaging from diverse suppliers. Walgreens US also stocks third-party beauty brands through its merchandising team. Black-owned and women-owned beauty brands have an explicit pathway through the Walgreens Black & Unlimited and national brand-building programs.
Store services: facilities management, cleaning, security, maintenance, marketing services, print production, signage, and uniforms. These contracts are typically Tier 1 or Tier 2 and are often regional, making them accessible to smaller businesses.
Technology and professional services: IT staffing, consulting, software development, and logistics technology. WBA's Global IT division has run NMSDC-affiliated sourcing events to bring in diverse tech suppliers.
Food and general merchandise: for its convenience and front-end retail sections, Walgreens sources diverse snack, beverage, and general merchandise brands. Local and regional diverse brands have gotten shelf placement through the retailer's "Find Your Next Brand" initiatives.
If you are a product company, determine whether you are pursuing shelf placement (merchandising team) or a supply chain contract (Global Procurement). These are different buyers with different processes.
Industry events and getting a meeting
WBA sends buyers and supplier diversity leads to several events annually:
NMSDC Annual Conference (fall, location rotates) — WBA typically fields a delegation and participates in match-making sessions. NMSDC's Business Opportunity Exchange (BOX) is the formal one-on-one meeting platform. You register for BOX as a certified MBE through your regional NMSDC affiliate, then request meetings with WBA buyers during the event.
WBENC National Conference & Business Fair (June, location rotates) — same structure. WBA attends. WBENC's conference includes a business fair where WBEs exhibit and buyers walk the floor.
Disability:IN Annual Conference (July) — WBA participates given its Disability:IN membership.
NGLCC International Business & Leadership Conference (August) — relevant for LGBTBE-certified suppliers.
For beauty specifically: WBA has participated in Beautycon, Essence Festival, and NMSDC's health and beauty focused sourcing events. If you sell a beauty product, those are higher-conversion venues than a general procurement conference.
Before any event, update your Coupa profile and prepare a one-page capability statement. Include: business description, NAICS codes, certifications with expiration dates, three relevant clients or contracts, annual revenue range, and contact information. WBA buyers will pull your Coupa profile before or after a meeting.
Cold email outreach to WBA buyers rarely works. The supplier diversity team is the right first contact. You can reach them through the WBA corporate site contact form under the supplier diversity section, or through NMSDC/WBENC referrals if you have a regional affiliate relationship.
Realistic timeline and first steps
Here is what a realistic path looks like from today:
Weeks 1 to 4: Get certified or confirm your certification is current. Start MBE or WBE applications if you have not already. Register on Coupa with a complete profile.
Weeks 4 to 8: Identify the specific product or service category you are targeting. Research whether WBA uses direct Tier 1 contracts or works through primes in your category. For store services, identify whether your geography covers WBA distribution centers or retail clusters.
Weeks 8 to 16: Attend a regional NMSDC or WBENC event. These are smaller than national conferences and often include local corporate members including WBA affiliates or regional procurement leads.
Month 6 onward: Apply for a BOX meeting at NMSDC or WBENC national conference if your certification is complete. Come with a specific product or service proposal, not a general introduction.
The first Walgreens contract often comes through a Tier 2 relationship. If you are a service business, identify WBA's facilities management or IT prime contractors (companies like ABM Industries, Cushman & Wakefield, or regional IT staffing firms that hold WBA contracts) and pitch yourself as a diverse subcontractor. Primes have WBA-mandated diverse spend goals and actively seek certified subcontractors.
Do not wait for WBA to find you in Coupa. Use the NMSDC and WBENC networks. Your regional affiliate's corporate member relationship with WBA is the fastest path to a live conversation.
