About Us
WES is a non-profit social enterprise that supports the educational, economic, and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees, and international students in the U.S. and Canada. For 50 years, WES has set the standard for international academic credential evaluation, supporting millions of people as they seek to achieve their academic and professional goals. Through decades of experience as a leader in global education, WES has expanded its mission to pursue and scale social impact.
Our Vision
Everyone is able to put their education, experience, and skills to work anywhere in the world.
Our Mission
We help people learn, work, and thrive in new places. We help society recognize the value of people’s education and experience.
Our Values
Our Social Enterprise Model
© David Trozzo, All Rights Reserved.
Trailblazing Social Enterprise
Founded by Peace Corps volunteers in 1974, WES has been at the forefront of the social enterprise model for 50 years. We deliver a core product—a credential evaluation report—to benefit people and institutions around the globe. Our business and social impact goals go hand in hand, leveraging best practices from both the private and the social sectors.
Our Social Enterprise Model
Operating Model
WES operates a self-sustaining model, leveraging the commercial revenues generated by products and services for social good. These financial resources are reinvested into mission-driven programming, advocacy, research, and grantmaking. This proven model allows us to scale our impact over time.
Our Social Enterprise Model
Our Offerings
We develop and deliver initiatives to drive social progress, including:
- Credential evaluations
- Social impact programming
- Public policy and advocacy
- Philanthropy
- Impact investments
Our History
1974
WES is founded
20 evaluations completed
1998
WES launched AICES, our Automatic International Credential Evaluation System
2000
Toronto office opened
2012
WES Global Talent Bridge launched
2013
WES became a designated provider for IRCC
70,000 evaluations completed
2017
Skilled Immigrant Integration Program launched
297,000 evaluations completed
2018
WES Gateway Program launched
2019
WES Mariam Assefa Fund created
408,000 evaluations completed
Our Strategies
We enable immigrants, refugees, and international students to make full use of their education, skills, knowledge, and experience so they can achieve economic and social mobility.
We partner widely to facilitate social and economic mobility for the individuals we serve, and we seek to build open and equitable systems that provide access to opportunity for immigrants, refugees, and international students.
We ensure growth, organizational resilience, and continued impact by anticipating and pivoting to meet the needs of customers, academic institutions, clients, partners, and stakeholders in a dynamic environment.
We foster an inclusive, mission-driven culture where every employee feels valued, encouraged, and motivated, where every employee is empowered to do excellent work every day, and where every employee becomes a catalyst for change.
We maintain the highest standard of excellence and scale as a financially independent, sustainable organization driving measurable social impact.
Our Leadership Team
Our leadership team brings a wealth of expertise from the public, private, and social sectors to WES’ unique intersection of education, workforce development, philanthropy, policy, advocacy, and research. Passionate and committed, the leadership team works together to further the global mobility and success of immigrants, refugees, international students, and their communities.