By Duane Peterson
The BCorps were here to discuss the future of mission-driven business. Burlington hosted a gathering of 350 values-led business leaders from across the country to share their best practices, successes and failures.
BCorp Certification is what’s new and exciting in socially responsible business. Just as organic certification carries with it specific definitions, and FairTrade for commodities and LEED for buildings — businesses that are certified as BCorps must pass a rigorous assessment to signal their business practices are at the cutting edge of sustainability.
More than 1,000 businesses have achieved this certification, including 20 here in Vermont. Of course, our well-known pioneers, Ben & Jerry’s, Gardener’s Supply, Seventh Generation and King Arthur Flour, jumped on this. But B-Corp certification is not just for them; it’s for any business committed to serving the needs of employees, communities and habitats while pursuing profitability. From sole proprietors to growing companies, Vermont’s Certified BCorps are using the power of business for positive social, environment and economic change — while adding our own innovations to the process.
We don’t need to leave it to the big boys and girls as these practices don’t require vast resources — every business can play. The BCorp Certification assessment offers countless opportunities to do business right while doing well.
For example, Burlington-based Rhino Foods visits all its significant suppliers to encourage sustainable sourcing and gives preference to local vendors. This builds quality and consistency in its supply chain, with average vendor relationships exceeding five years.
BCorp Certification is not just for manufacturers. Law firm Merritt & Merritt & Moulton focuses its resources on our community — having worked to develop the majority of its customers, suppliers and donations from here in Vermont.
My own business, SunCommon, relies on a community organizing model of marketing to share how going solar is finally easy and affordable. It’s more fun and way more cost-effective than a traditional approach to attracting customers.
The BCorp Certification assessment draws the applying business’ attention to a range of business practices, including personnel policies, sustainable procurement of equipment and supplies, energy and environmental practices, partner relations and community engagement.
Young businesses seeking their way in sustainability, as well as mature companies that have been doing this stuff for decades, all learn innovative best practices from the assessment. And each is offered additional ways to improve benefit performance yet.
The national BCorp Champions Retreat in Vermont included a free, public session where local businesses were exposed to this remarkable movement. Visionary BCorps took over the Flynn Theater to share in lively TED-talk fashion how this certification process and the community it creates can benefit your business.
Soon, you’ll be able to soak in their wisdom by watching the recorded versions of these talks at bcorporation.net. But to learn more about this movement now, check out the video here.
