What is a B Corp?

A B Corp, otherwise known as a Certified B Corporation, is a business that has met certain high standards established by the non-profit B Lab, which provides the B Corp certification. The B Corp standards involve a corporation’s verified social and environmental performance, its impact on its workers and customers, its public transparency. B Corps have opted to become part of a global culture shift toward the concept of business as a force for good, redefining “success” by using profits and growth as a means to a greater end and committing to help build a more inclusive, sustainable economy. After a company receives its B Corp certification, it must amend its legal governing documents to require its board of directors to balance profit and purpose.

LEARN HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN GIVE BACK BETTER

Working for Women shares the B Corp community’s view that society’s most challenging problems cannot be addressed by government and non-profits alone, and supports the B Corp mission of working to reduce inequality and poverty levels, promote a healthier environment and stronger communities, and create more high-quality jobs that have both dignity and purpose.

Part of Working for Women’s directive is to support the B Corp “Declaration of Interdependence,” which states:

That we must be the change we seek in the world.
That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.
That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.
To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.

Working for Women (W4W) makes it easy for B Corporations to fulfill this by building relationships with nonprofits focused on the entry, training, education and support of all women in the workforce. Our process involves:

Creating a community around supporting women in the workforce through building relationships with non-profits focused on elevating women in the workforce
Aggregating resources from businesses to enable our nonprofit partners to serve more women
Providing skill-based volunteer opportunities for business through our nonprofit partners
Measuring the impact of Working for Women’s investments
Creating a larger movement through sharing stories of our impact together

Working for Women is making the B Impact Assessment available for our members to help you learn best practices companies can adopt regarding their workers, communities, and the environment.

Read our interview with Kim Coupounas, Global Ambassador of B Lab, who discusses, “What is a ‘good business’?” and details the benefits she’s witnessed for companies who have become leaders in sustainable, social, and good governance policies

Join Working for Women and YOU help elevate women to economic security.