In our B Corporation Series we focus on B Corporations that are examples to all. We link to B Corps that are undertaking inspiring roles in creating the world we all want to see, where employees, the community and the environment are stakeholders in the decisions of the corporation.
In this week’s newsletter, the B the Change organization is putting their emphasis on the Power of Purpose. The B Corporation concept has come a great distance since the first companies certified in 2007. Today there are now more than 6,700 companies that are verified for their positive impact around the world. They range in size from small to multinational.
AMS Fulfillment is one of only a few B Corp certified fulfillment companies across the world. We became B Corporation certified in 2017. The ‘business with a purpose’ concept fit very well with what AMS had been doing with regard to employees, community and environment. We are truly proud of the free higher education we offer our employees, which is just one of the benefits our employees enjoy. Our Green Team is an example to others of what a fulfillment company can do to lessen its impact on the environment, and our community involvement goes back many years not only doing charitable work but in hiring individuals from the community who otherwise might have difficulty finding employment.
In this report, readers will look into a Champion B Corp bank that has a very long record of being purpose driven, and an inspiring story of a B Corp paying a living wage in a world where wages are not sufficient. We found these stories to be excellent examples of the Power of Purpose.
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Banking for Impact: 100 Years of Purpose-Driven Services Add Up for B Corp Bank
Amalgamated Bank Helps Customers Align Their Money with Their Values
“When the B Corporation community launched with the first companies certifying their positive impact in 2007, the concept of using business for purpose in addition to profit had been practiced by some companies for much longer. One of those is Amalgamated Bank, a B Corp that recently marked its 100th anniversary. The bank was started by women and immigrants to serve the financial needs of workers and continues to help customers align their money with their values.
“As companies and individuals look to align their values with their banking and investments, B Corp banks are an option certified for their commitment to people and the planet alongside profit. Amalgamated is one long-standing example of how banking and investment practices can be financially sound and enable customers to have a positive, values-aligned impact.”
You can read the full story about this bank’s 100 years of Purpose Driven Business HERE.
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4 Lessons from Implementing a Living Wage
B Corp Boldr Rolls Out Living Wage Goal in the Philippines
“’A rising tide lifts all boats’ is a metaphor that means when a community shows material positive improvement or grows, everyone benefits. The same way a rising tide in the ocean raises all boats, a growing economy or company is meant to benefit everyone in it, regardless of their specific circumstances. This was the kind of upliftment Boldr envisioned when we made it our goal to introduce a living wage.
“However, when we set out on a mission to pay each team member a living wage, there were a couple of knock-on effects that we did not anticipate. While these learnings presented some challenges, they did not derail our journey toward achieving a living wage in all the countries we operate in.
“All team members will be paid a living wage by the end of 2023. This was the goal we set at the beginning of the year. In the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, which historically kept wages as low as competitively possible, we committed to paying wages that enabled all team members to live dignified lives.”
You can read the full story of Boldr’s Power of Purpose, to provide a living wage to its employees HERE.
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We are proud to bring this B Corporation Series to the readers and feature B Corps that stand out as examples of businesses that commit themselves to Be the Change that we wish to see in the world. AMS publishes a Green Team blog on the work being done to reduce our environmental impact and we also publish a Safety Series on the very successful efforts being made to see to our employees’ safety.