Borp Champions Retreat
My first memory of being “good” is when I was much younger and I would volunteer with my grandma Pauline at our local hospital. Daisies. Seems like an appropriate title since we were wearing sunshine-yellow smocks and our job was to brighten the faces, spaces and places in an otherwise sterile environment. We would walk around visiting patients to provide conversation, smiles, and hope. It made me proud (and especially my grandma too) to give of our time and to be a part of a community.
Now, more than 40 years later, I still love the power of a collective community that gives. One that gives of time, energy and learnings. An inclusive community that encourages leaders through education, smiles and hope. A collective community that we call the B Corporation community.
Certified B Corp organizations meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance and financial transparency — and are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.
The goal? To inspire billions of consumers, workers, investors and others to support this collective community so that all businesses become a force for good.
Every year, this group of B Corp leaders gathers to learn and to be inspired. I was very fortunate to attend this national B Corp Retreat/Conference a few weeks ago and left feeling inspired and slightly overwhelmed. Because we have a lot of work to do. But, it’s these conversations, stories and hope that provide collective action. Yes, we have work to do. But, if we all become a Daisy, this work will get done.
One of the B Corp collective groups that I’m proud to be a part of is #WeTheChange: A collaboration led by women CEO’s of Certified B Corps who share a common belief that “To create a new economy in service to all requires a new way of leading, where women don’t need to fight for a seat at the table. So we are making our own table that’s radically inclusive and richly regenerative.” If you’re curious, you can learn more and sign the #WeTheChange Declaration here.
As you can imagine when over 700 daisies get in a room, there is a ton of sunshine and bright conversations. To get a full recap of the B Corp conference, read this article: Harnessing the Power of Community to Create a More Inclusive and Regenerative B Economy.
And, as we move into the holidays, let’s all remember collective ways we can make a difference. DON’T think about how you give. Rather, DO think about how you buy. Where you buy and what you buy matters. Read this article in The New York Times on how consumers of every budget can support companies who share their values, and how B Corp certification makes it easier to shop more mindfully. Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/01/smarter-living/sustainabile-shopping-conscious-consumer.html
If you’re still wanting to be inspired by other daisies, read The B Corp Handbook’s 2nd edition which uses insight from more than 200 Certified B Corp leaders and takes an expanded view on diversity, equity, and inclusion. And as always, if you’re interested to see how your organization stacks up, the B Impact Assessment is a free online tool that anyone can use to measure the positive impact you are making on communities, customers, workers, and the environment.
As the days get shorter and colder, now’s a good time to see how the daisy inside of you can brighten even the darkest days. Go B the sunshine!