Denver\u2019s Quarterly Forum provides a place for emerging executives to \u201cdream more, learn more, do more and become more.\u201d\u00a0 We couldn\u2019t agree more.<\/p>\n
QF is a non-partisan leadership organization with members representing diverse industries but bound by professional ambition and commitment to the community. Canopy\u2019s participation with QF has opened doors and provided experiences that are educational and inspiring.\u00a0 The topic at a recent QF Breakfast Program was B Corps \u2013 what they are and are not, their value and increasing appeal to businesses worldwide.<\/p>\n
We were immediately intrigued by the B Corp movement. Below are some answers to some common questions about building a better business through B Corp certification.<\/p>\n
Q:<\/strong> What is a B Corp? Q:<\/strong> What is B Lab? Q<\/strong>: Believers in the B Corp movement profess that \u2018Using business as a Force for Good is good for business.\u2019\u00a0 How? Why? Is there proof? Q:<\/strong> Name three benefits of becoming a B Corp? Q:<\/strong>\u00a0 Are B Corps limited to a certain type of business or industry? Q:<\/strong> Who are some notable businesses that are B Corps? Q:<\/strong> Why is B certification important? Q: <\/strong>What is a B Impact Assessment? Q:\u00a0<\/strong> Explain why being a B Corp helps in hiring or recruiting? Q:<\/strong> What is the B Corp community\u2019s collective purpose? Source:\u00a0 The B Corp Handbook<\/em> by Ryan Honeyman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Denver\u2019s Quarterly Forum provides a place for emerging executives to \u201cdream more, learn more, do more and become more.\u201d\u00a0 We couldn\u2019t agree more. QF is a non-partisan leadership organization with members representing diverse industries but bound by professional ambition and commitment to the community. Canopy\u2019s participation with QF has opened doors and provided experiences that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2254,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-post","topic-business-strategy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nA:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 \u2018B\u2019 stands for benefit.\u00a0 A Certified B Corporation is a for-profit company that has been certified by the B Lab to have met rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.<\/p>\n
\nA:<\/strong> B Lab is the nonprofit and organizing force behind the B Corp movement. In 2007, the B Lab team worked with leading businesses, investors and attorneys to create a comprehensive set of performance and legal requirements designed to certify B Corporations.<\/p>\n
\nA:\u00a0<\/strong> Case studies, global surveys, and reports from industry thought leaders like Accenture, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Harvard Business School, McKinsey & Co offer compelling evidence that using business as a force for good saves money, enhances profitability, and generates more business value.<\/p>\n
\nA:<\/strong>
\n1.\u00a0 Attracting Investors \u2013 Goldman Sachs found that there is a dramatic increase in the number of investors seeking to incorporate sustainability and environmental, social and governance factors into their portfolio constructions.
\n2.\u00a0 Increasing Credibility and Building Trust \u2013 Consumers increasingly want to know what kind of company stands behind the product or service. B Corp certification can help businesses build credibility and trust in the brand because of the third-party standard that evaluates every aspect of the business.
\n3.\u00a0 Protecting a Company\u2019s Mission for the Long Term \u2013 By becoming a B Corp, entrepreneurs can protect their mission by elevating their company\u2019s core social and environmental values to the status of law.\u00a0 A legal framework enables B Corps to stay mission-driven through capital raises, succession and new ownership.\u00a0 This helps ensure the company will benefit society for the long term.<\/p>\n
\nA:\u00a0<\/strong> No. B Corp offers a framework that any company can use to build a better business.\u00a0 It is relevant to B2B, B2C, start-ups, LLCs, C or S Corps, global brands or family businesses \u2013 regardless of existing legal structure.<\/p>\n
\nA:\u00a0<\/strong> Patagonia, Etsy, Dankso, King Arthur Flour, Ben & Jerry\u2019s, Cabot, Seventh Generation, Rally Software, New Belgium Brewing Company.\u00a0 More than 1,300 businesses across dozens of industries in 40 countries have embraced the B Corp movement.<\/p>\n
\nA:<\/strong>\u00a0 Certification is comparable to USDA Organic certification for produce or Fair Trade certification for coffee.\u00a0 However, unlike these two examples, B Corp certification evaluates the entire company \u2013 not just one product or aspect.\u00a0 With a B Corp certification, good companies are recognized, not just good marketing.\u00a0 The Sierra Club has recognized the Certified B Corp logo as one of the most trustworthy eco logos on the market.<\/p>\n
\nA:<\/strong>\u00a0 The B Impact Assessment is a free, confidential, online tool that assesses a company\u2019s social and environmental performance on a 200-point scale. It provides access to resources and best practice guides designed to improve performance over time.\u00a0 It gives any type of company the ability to identify where it is doing well and where it has room for improvement.\u00a0 The tool was created for companies interested in B Corp certification or for companies unsure about certification but want a tool to assess, compare and implement improvements.<\/p>\n
\nA:<\/strong>\u00a0 Research shows that millennials\u00a0 (who represent nearly 50 percent of the global work force) are looking for work-life integration.\u00a0 They are looking for careers that offer an opportunity to create meaning, not
\njust make money.\u00a0 Passionate, values-aligned millennials are attracted to a B Corps\u2019 higher purpose and the B Corp community\u2019s collective purpose.<\/p>\n
\nA:<\/strong> The B Corp community is trying to lead a global movement to redefine success in business. B Corporations want to build a new sector of the economy, comprised of innovative, passionate and forward thinking business leaders that celebrate being the best for the world, rather than the best in the world.<\/p>\n