It’s official, Benefit Corporations are a reality. On October 1, Maryland Benefit Corporation legislation took effect. Eleven companies registered with the state to become trailblazers for a new type of business. The first of its kind, the Maryland  legislation allows companies to organize as Benefit Corporations, a new class of corporation that are required to create [...]

In his New York Times article, “Banks Grow Weary of Environmental Risks”, Tom Zeller Jr. describes recent trends by a number of global banking conglomerates to reduce their exposure to environmentally destructive borrowers.  While unable to commit to a complete cutting of the umbilical cord with companies that are “blasting off mountaintops to reach coal” [...]

The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA, home to such brands as Adidas, Levi’s, and Nike), recently launched its benchmarking Eco Index worldwide, hoping to cement it (and itself) as the leading sustainability measurement tool for apparel and more. In fact, this group clearly has its sights set on taking this tool beyond its own industry boundaries. Although [...]

It’s that time again, time for back to school shopping. Your child probably has a list a mile long, ranging from books to sneakers. They are concerned about looking cool, you’re concerned about quality and cost. But what about the costs to our planet and community? When you support a Certified B Corp you’re supporting [...]

Is your “Conflict Free” diamond really conflict free? If the situation in Zimbabwe is any indication, there’s good cause for doubt. Yet there’s also reason for optimism as mission-driven companies and organizations rally to revolutionize how diamonds are traded in response to consumer demand for fairness and transparency. For years, Human Rights Watch and others [...]

Like many of you, my August 9 newsstand edition of Forbes appeared in my mailbox the other week. Did you notice the full-spread advertisement just three pages in, with the title “A watt saved is a watt shared” and a compelling set of juxtaposed photos from Schneider Electric? This $16 billion company is bringing energy management [...]

Business accounts for over 75% of our nation’s GDP— this provides businesses with a tremendous opportunity to create results beyond financial return. We are living in an era of rapid change, with the incredible resources of inspiring entrepreneurs and businesses addressing major social problems. One great example is Southern Energy Management, which offers an array [...]

Written By: Matt Kopac, iContact Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant On June 30th, 2010,  iContact was granted B Corporation status by the 501(c)3 non-profit organization B Lab, which developed the B Corporation (B Corp) standards and administers the certification (www.bcorporation.net). B Corp certification is for so-called “triple-bottom line” companies who believe that businesses can and should [...]

Brand loyalty is built on trust. Trust is built on transparency. That’s why Harvard Business Review devoted its April issue to the topic. The trust issue is at the core of last week’s New York Times article about Honest Tea’s ongoing sale to Coca-Cola. The article shined a light on Honest consumers’ worst fears–that “big bad corporate Coke” [...]