Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 M AY 3 0 , 2 0 2 2 F O C U S C O R P O R AT E R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y e assessment is time-consuming, detailed and requires paperwork and peri- odic recertification to substantiate claims in five categories: environment, workers, customers, community and governance. Certification offers access to the B Lab logo, services, and community of practice. Recertification is expected every three years. Annual fees range from $1,000 to $50,000 per year, based on revenues. More than profits As Bachelder says, the designation is particularly meaningful to younger generations. "ey want to know they're work- ing for companies that are doing more than focusing on shareholders and near-term profits," says Bachelder. "It means something to folks that we've committed on an ongoing basis to lessening our environmental impact, to aggressively taking DEI steps, to treat- ing our employees well." Certification signals company val- ues, says Fiona Wilson, who founded the University of New Hampshire's B Impact Clinic. A Freeport resident, Wilson is the director of UNH's Sustainability Institute. She's seen a growing interest in the B Corp movement. "A lot of companies today, in response to consumer demand, are mak- ing statements about their commitment to climate or DEI or employees," she says. "But what does that actually mean? What I like about the B impact assess- ment is it makes that very granular and actionable." Employee attraction Benefits of certification include insti- tutionalization of a company's com- mitment to continuous improvement and a focus on the issues that drive the assessment. A decade ago, Margo Walsh was searching for mission-driven compa- nies like her own. MaineWorks is a Portland employment company that helps previously incarcerated people and people struggling with substance abuse disorders get back on their feet through steady jobs. She came across B Lab and loved the idea of a "new form of capitalism, using business as a force for good." In 2013, MaineWorks was the first Maine company to become a B Corp. For Great Works Internet, which became a B Corp in 2020, it's about intentionality, says Kerem Durdag, the Biddeford broadband carrier's COO and president. "We made the decision, even before we were a B Corp, that we are part and parcel of the community," Durdag says. "We are beholden to the community and want to do things for the community, with the community." STATEWIDE 2021 P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W H A M P S H I R E Fiona Wilson says the B Corp impact assessment makes the certification process granular and actionable. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » It's a rigorous process and a steep learning curve. — Fiona Wilson UNH B Impact Clinic

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