March is B Corps Month, a chance to celebrate the sustainable businesses that have undergone the B Corps certification process to demonstrate their social and environmental impact.
You may have heard of some well-known brand names that are certified B Corps, like Patagonia, Ben and Jerry’s, Athleta, Eileen Fisher, Allbirds, The Body Shop and Toms - to name a few.
As a holistic assessment of a company’s social and environmental performance, B Corps certification requires businesses to go beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to demonstrate their commitments to operating responsibly for both people and planet. To become a B Corps, the company must make the legal commitment of incorporating as a public benefit corporation, score highly on the B Impact Assessment based on their corporate governance and environmental practices as well as their relationships with key stakeholders such as workers, customers and communities, and finally exhibit transparency by having the information covered in the assessment published publicly.
B Corps certified businesses span across various industries and are at the forefront of a global movement to transform economic systems to be more inclusive and sustainable for the benefit of all people, communities, and the planet. As of 2023, there are more than 6,525 Certified B Corps companies in 89 countries from around the world.
In Massachusetts alone, there are 69 B Corps certified businesses that serve our communities. You can find many of them through B Local Boston, an organization that connects and fosters collaboration among local area B Corps and aims to build a community among the organizations and employees represented.
Here are a few profiles of B Corps that we would like to highlight in the Greater Boston area:
Boloco (or “Boston Local Company”) is made up of 9 restaurants and 140 team members, offering a unique but simple menu of classic and modern burritos, bowls, salads, smoothies and shakes with a Modern Mexican flare made from fresh, high-quality ingredients (mostly organic and naturally-raised), prepared and served by authentic and customer-focused teams. It also focuses on providing a living wage to its employees. Boloco is driven by its mission "to positively impact the lives and futures of our people through bold and inspired food and practices."
Preserve is a leading sustainable consumer goods company that produces stylish, eco-friendly household products, as well as products for food service. Preserve's business model is centered on mitigating the environmental impact of consumer products by producing products that require lower carbon emissions, lead to less consumption and waste, and protect the oceans. Using proprietary sourcing, recycling, and manufacturing systems, Preserve has developed the ability to make well designed, sustainable consumer products out of recycled materials, plant-based bioplastics and ocean diverted plastics. The company is helping to create an ethos of reuse, recycling, and composting in a sector that is responsible for more than 25% of total U.S. emissions. Preserve’s products can be found in more than 7,000 retail and food service locations across the US, including Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's.
Teak Media + Communication (Media and Public Relations)
Teak Media + Communication is an award-winning, values-led public relations and communication firm that increases awareness and drives public engagement for nonprofit organizations and responsible companies. Teak promotes the programs, products and services of organizations and companies that inspire human greatness and make the world a better place.
BlueWave is a renewable energy company founded on a vision to protect our planet. They are committed to their founding principles: preserving the environment; honesty and transparency; and respecting and supporting their employees, partners, and customers. Through solar power development and energy storage, BlueWave seeks to bring innovative solutions to make clean energy possible for households, businesses, property owners, and more.
NorthStar Asset Management, Inc. (Financial Services)
NorthStar Asset Management’s mission is to provide strategic advice around cutting edge socially responsible investing by taking the most integrative approach to portfolio management available today. Guided by their deeply-held belief that the financial system is broken, that people are suffering, and that they need to help their clients use their resources to effect change, NorthStar’s approach combines direct investments in global equities, investment grade bonds, community loan funds, alternative “outside” investments and cash to create a vibrant and well-balanced portfolio that integrate financial goals while upholding a commitment to social change.
True Impact is a web-based measurement tool and benchmarking network for the charitable sector. Donors and nonprofits can use True Impact’s services to measure the social impact of their grants, volunteerism, and other philanthropic investments, to demonstrate success and identify opportunities for improvement.
To learn more about these B Corps and others, visit the B Lab website and B Local Boston.