The Business Case for B Corps: The Secret’s Out, Part 2

The movement is growing. Fast. 1,400+ B Corps worldwide. And, the community is partnering together in incredible ways. Sustainable Harvest, for example, a global coffee importer focused on building relationships with farmers, is selling a new coffee, using a 100 percent B Corp supply chain. (More on that story coming soon.) More and more business owners are realizing the value of the B Corp model. Happier employees, tangible environmental impact, greater accountability—it’s easy to see these effects. But how many B Corps actualize an impact on the third “p” in the triple bottom line, as in “Profits”?

A few weeks ago, I gave away a few of the best kept secrets about B Corp consulting. After participating in the “Secrets of B Corp Consulting,” a four-week, webinar series offered by Honeyman Consulting and Conscious Brands, I became confident in my understanding of the model, how to add value to companies and how to get started as bona fide B Corp Consultant. (In case you missed it, check out the link to it below.) My biggest hang up during the series was understanding the return on investment of the B Corp certification for clients. I know business owners can expect to see an increase in employee engagement and retention, a protection of the company’s mission and access to an incredibly supportive community. But, “give it to me in dollars, Honeyman,” I kept thinking. How much moolah can a midsized company expect to see in the bank account after spending a few thousand dollars to certify? And, shouldn’t I know the answer to this as a B Corp consultant? How do I pitch financial results? I wasn’t the only one in my cohort wondering about the business case for B Corps.  As Christian Greico, President of Optimus One, put it:

To continue reading, click here

Julie is passionate about telling the story of where business meets good. She is the Founder of B Storytelling, a content development company specifically designed to help popularize the good happening through business. They do this by helping Benefit Corporations and other social enterprises identify, build and leverage their brands. Julie has an MBA in Managing for Sustainability from Marlboro Graduate School. She lives in West Palm Beach, Florida with her husband, Thomas.