Illinois Faces Challenges in Diversity Certifications Despite System Fixes
Illinois is experiencing challenges in its diversity certification process for businesses owned by racial minorities, women, and people with disabilities. A switch to a new computer system in July 2024 led to a significant decrease in the number of certified businesses due to incompatibility with other government systems. As of May 2026, the number of certified businesses had dropped to about 2,700 from a peak of 5,400. Recent efforts have increased certifications by 21% to 3,268, but the pool remains smaller than before. The state Commission on Equity and Inclusion is working on solutions, including manual data uploads and developing automated bulk uploads, to improve the situation. 
