This week B Lab Global is celebrating 5,000 B Corps! It is very exciting to see such growth in the number of B Corporations across the world. The ‘B’ stands for Benefit – the corporation is a benefit to the world. Many see the B Corporation as the way of the future, looking forward to a world where the people and the environment are valued as highly as financial profit.
AMS Fulfillment is proud to be a B Corp, having gained certification in 2017. From our experience we can say that there is effort involved in “being the change” and there is significant reward as well.
What does it mean for a company to wear the B logo? In a nutshell it means integrity. The B logo means this company is committed to consider the employees, the community, the clients and the environment in its decision-making.
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of a product or a business and this is where the integrity of the B logo stands out. An article in Business News Daily talks about greenwashing, which is the unsubstantiated claim by a company that it or its products are ‘green’ or environmentally friendly. The article states:
“It’s easy to see why marketers are enthusiastic: According to GreenPrint’s 2021 Business of Sustainability Index, 64% of Gen X consumers would spend more on a product if it comes from a sustainable brand, and that figure jumps to 75% among millennials.”
The high value in a B Corporation is that the company or product truly is ‘green’ and not just made to look so for marketing purposes. With the company living up to and legally committed to a high standard with regard to environmental impact and a number of other impacts as well, consumers who are wary of ‘greenwashing’ can look for the B logo.
This week’s lead article at bcorporation.net is described as follows: “Voices from around our global network reflect on the milestone and the growth of the movement.” The article is written by Andrew Kassoy and Bart Houlahan, Co-Founders:
“The global community of Certified B Corporations is now 5,000 strong! 15 years ago, the B Corp movement began with a vision of a new way of doing business: one that would bring benefit not just to shareholders, but to all stakeholders — including workers, customers, communities, and the environment.
“We started with 19 pioneers in the summer of 2007 and had 81 Founding B Corps by the end of 2007. Today, our B Corp community spans 79 countries, 154 industries, over 400,000 workers, and now 5,000 B Corps — all led and coordinated, with passion, by 13 regional global partner organizations.
“…Together, we’re transforming the global economy by harnessing the power of business as a force for good. In a time of uncertainty and challenge, these 5,000 extraordinary B Corps represent the power of the business to forge a path forward for all people and communities on our interdependent planet. Let’s celebrate their leadership!”
The article goes on to travel around the world and report on the B Corps in a number of the 74 countries represented. Please enjoy the full article HERE.
CONGRATULATIONS B Lab Global. We are so proud to be among the 5,000 businesses committed to Benefit the world and B The Change.