What is a B Corp? Ten Companies that are Saving Our World, and They Still make Money!

The Rise of the Benefit Corporation

Built on an exciting business model alternative, Benefit Corporations, while definitely designed to make a profit, are equally as focused on having a positive social and environmental impact. Known as B Corporations or simply B Corps , these businesses prioritize fair wages, good working conditions, environmental protections and healthy communities as central to their missions, even including them as legal requirements in their corporate charters.

The B Corps model is trending upward, and at an accelerated rate boosted by the Covid19 pandemic. As we adjusted to a new normal over the last year and a half, many of us started appreciating the human aspect of work and our interdependence to each other for healthy lives. As we saw production falter, distribution lines struggle and we were forced to isolate ourselves more than we probably imagined possible, it’s become more important to us as consumers to know where and how a product is made, who makes it, and how workers are treated and compensated.

Certification

Companies that are B Corps certified must prove that their product, their production and their employment practices are socially and environmentally responsible. These businesses demonstrate that their operation and business models provide positive impact to workers, community, environment and customers from supply chain, to finished product, to charitable giving and employee benefits. Sounds tough doesn’t it? The good news is that companies in the US and around the world are lining up to be part of this prestigious group of do-good industry!

Each year a certified company’s performance is rated in five categories: Governance, Community, Workers, Environment and Customers. Their evolving scores each year in each category can be tracked on http://www.Bcorporation.net.

The price for certification is determined on a sliding scale, based on the size of the company starting at $1000 annually for businesses with less than $150K in revenue to an annual fee of $50,000 for businesses with revenues of over $750 million.

Brands You Already Love, that You’re About to Love More

There are now at least 3,800 businesses that have agreed to independent verification of their records and accountability to all stakeholders in order to qualify for Benefit Corporation certification. You can browse the growing list of certified businesses on the B Corporation Directory. Here are some national and international brands that you probably already know and love, I’ve hyperlinked each business to their B Corporation Directory page so that you can see their scores and how they’ve evolved over the years:

• Bigelow Teas : Who doesn’t have a box of Bigelow Teas in their cupboard?? I am so happy to see this traditional brand, that most of us have grown up with, play a leadership role in responsible and ethical commerce.
• Ben&Jerry’s : This company has been working to save the world forever – I remember receiving a grant for human rights work from them in the early 90’s…
• Amy’s Kitchen: Organic gummy bears anyone?? My mother would live off of Amy’s frozen dinners if I didn’t cook for her.
• New Belgium Brewery : That’s right, the makers of Fat Tire Ale proactively help their community too!
• King Arthur Baking: America’s oldest flour company has been providing baking ingredients AND educational opportunities since 1790.
• Stonyfield Organic: It’s good to know that they’re working hard to protect the environment while making that delicious yogurt.
• Athleta : Trendy sustainable workout wear without the sweatshops.
• Bombas: These guys make the best quality socks I’ve ever worn, and each pair purchased means one pair donated to the homeless.
• Eileen Fisher created a $400 million fashion line with 60 boutique worldwide. And the prestigious brand also launched a recycle retail concept which donates profits to support women-owned businesses, girls’ empowerment education and protecting the environment.
• Raven and Lily: Handcrafted bags, jewelry and home goods made from sustainable materials. A fair-trade company that proactively supports working mothers in their company and they offset the carbon footprint of shipping by purchasing carbon credits.

Our Options to Shop Sustainably keep Growing

We have more and more choices to shop sustainably and equitably, and put our wallets where our values are. If you’d like to read more, When Ethics is the Brand introduces more companies, big and small, that are helping us save our world, one purchase at a time:

When Ethics is the Brand: Save the World in a Variety of Ways with a Single Purchase.

I hope you’re inspired to support companies that are making an effort to make the world a safer, healthier and more ethical place to live. And, the more you do the more you’ll probably notice when companies aren’t being responsible, and ask ‘why not?’. The Declaration for Interdependence for B Corps is both inspirational and practical, I’d love to see one of these certifications in every business I walk into. Because of course it’s possible to prosper and Save the World at the same time!