Follow orders? No thanks.

I've always cared about encouraging people. When I was a kid, my mom worried that I would use my lunch money for school trips to buy souvenirs for friends and family because that's what I would do. I find joy when other people's eyes light up with joy. This behavior has permeated all aspects of my life, including business.

Hierarchy, going with the flow, and following orders has always been extremely difficult for me. My knee-jerk reaction is to question if directives are best for the end goal and for all people that the directive might affect. An eagerness to challenge the status quo has not made corporate-life easy for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for unity. The unity I prefer, however, is one that is inspired within each individual and not just expected by those in charge.

Only recently did I hear of the terms public-benefit corporation (PBC) and Certified B Corp. PBC is a legal structure of a corporation that is a for-profit corporate entity that commits to working for positive impact on society, the benefit of the lives of the people in the company and community, and makes business decisions that benefit the environment.* This legal structure of a company is currently recognized in 38 states, including the District of Columbia.** Isn't this cool?

Sounds like a given to me that companies would care for their workers, the community in which it operates, and the environment, however, historically global business philosophy has not taken this stance. Traditional corporations have done whatever it takes to increase shareholder value (aka $$$ profit). I love business, people, and the environment, and PBCs are conscientiously bringing all these things together to holistically move our world forward. Cheers to PBCs! 

Certified B Corp is a designation provided by a company called B Lab, which evaluates PBCs for adherence to myriad social impact criteria. Companies apply to be evaluated by B Lab and are audited every few years once they become a B Corp. Third-party endorsement is one of the criteria for a company to keep its legal status as a PBC. 

Well, enough defining PBCs and B Corp Certification...what's your favorite B Corp? Search the list at bcorporation.net

I just found out that my favorite grocery store Erewhon was certified in June 2021. Hooray! If you know...you know.  

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benefit_corporation

**https://benefitcorp.net/policymakers/why-pass-benefit-corporation-legislation