Benefit Corporation (B Corp) certified companies prioritize people and environment over profit. Essentially, B Corps are ethical suppliers. Considering the planet, people, and profit as the three focal points of protecting sustainability, B Corps understand that innovation should not thrive at the expense of human lives and the environment. Instead, B Corp certified business meld the impact of profits and growth to see positive, lasting change across the globe. Phil earned our certification as a B Corp in 2017, and we have since been recertified.
Phil is among over 2,000 certified B Corporations in the U.S. and Canada.
As more for-profits get in on the movement, B Lab—the non-profit organization that certifies B Corps—continues to engage the growing community of ethical businesses in concrete actions for social and environmental justice. With sustainable frameworks and practices in place, for-profit organizations can amplify the impact of not-for-profit endeavors.
Quebec is leading the way: we have the fastest growing number of B Corporations in Canada.
We are seeing this pull to B Corps in Quebec as more companies realize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing is critical for a better future. Every 3 years, B Corp companies must apply for recertification, and it takes tangible dedication to reach the standards that increase each time you recertify. This incentivizes companies to embed socially-minded practices into the way the company functions, so when the year for recertification comes along, continuous improvement is baked in.
Intention does not equal impact.
Phil is up for recertification in 2023, and our impact strategy reflects the truth that intentions do not make up impact. As much as your values matter, how you act on those beliefs matters ten times more. Whether you are a for-profit or not-for-profit organization, you change lives by solidifying systems that achieve what your mission sets out to do for your beneficiaries, the larger community, and the planet.
One of our very own is on the B Corp frontlines!
Phil’s strategic advisor Aurelia Talvela is President on the Board of Directors for B Local Quebec,Canada’s first formalized B Local organization. There are now more than 85 B Corps in Quebec and the province also boasts the highest number of co-operatives in Canada.
Aurelia explained that “there’s been a drum up of momentum for Quebec companies seeking B Corporation certification. Quebec has a history of taking strong stances on environmental issues and electing governments that prioritize social support, so it is no wonder that we are seeing a shift from shareholder to stakeholder capitalism. Profit does not need to come ahead of people and the planet.”
From Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, Aurelia traveled from Montreal to Philadelphia where she attended the B Lab U.S. & Canada Champions Retreat 2022. Following the theme, Humanity at Work, Aurelia participated in several forums for mobilizing toward collective action for racial equity, climate justice, and a stake-holder driven economic system. Through her work on B Local Quebec, she’s become closely acquainted with the importance of measuring progress towards these goals.
Aurelia learned from the B Corp retreat that central to a lucrative impact strategy is “developing partnerships for more collective impact. Expand your idea of what collaboration and co-creation can look like! Turn to for-profit companies for more than just money; these collaborations can be forged with the objectives of:
- building and inspiring best practices,
- sharing insights and learnings,
- managing impact,
- engaging with governments and policymakers to advocate for shared policy goals,
- driving public awareness and consumer behavior change, and more.”
Collaborate with, learn from B Corps
Not-for-profit organizations with measurable impacts can have greater organizational credibility, community involvement, and ways to adjust and challenge traditional practices. While nonprofits themselves can’t be certified as a B Corp, you can make the wise decision to do business with one. Let a B Corp like Phil guide you to optimize your impact, contact us today to get the conversation started!
