Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 30, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 5 F A C T B O O K 2007, the movement has exploded globally. In 2022, there were 6,123 B Corps, up from 4,427 the previous year, according to the B Lab 2022 Annual Report. McLaren & Associates became a B Corp because McLaren's commitment to serving the community goes beyond the walls of the firm's offices and extends outward to the global environment. It was the first accounting firm in New England to receive the certification, he said. "It's about how we give back. How do we be very different than anyone in our industry?" said McLaren. Being a B Corp makes it easier for companies to express themselves and their motives, said Dani Babineau, CEO of Redemption Rock Brewing, a cra beer brewery in Worcester. "It was an encapsulation of the way that we wanted to run the business and our goals, " said Babineau. Redemption Rock became a B Corp in September 2020, the first cra brewery in Massachusetts to do so. Solidifying itself as a company dedicated to wellbeing, in and outside the brewery, bucked a trend of bad behavior in the cra brewing industry. Being a B Corp is a throughline for Redemption Rock's efforts to support its employees and community, said Babineau. "It expands our commitment to the ethos of the company," she said. "It's not something that's just one project here, one project there. We have to hold ourselves to a standard." At Redemption Rock, the company's B Corp status helps with marketing efforts, said Babineau. It helps attract new employees who know what the model is like, and it means something to customers who come to Redemption Rock for beer and community. "We want to be a meaningful part of the community and peoples lives," said Babineau. "We're about more than just the beer." Becoming a B Corp has helped Redemption Rock align some of its business practices with its leaders' ethos, said Babineau. e B Lab movement struck a chord with Redemption Rock leadership, who felt Continued on next page (Left) For David McLaren of McLaren & Associates CPAs, an attitude towards supporting people and improving lives has helped the company nearly triple employee headcount. (Right) Following B Corp certification rules and checklists helps Redemption Rock Brewing do regular self-audits to make sure the brewery's leaders are hitting the goals they set out for themselves. PHOTO | EDD COTE PHOTO | MATT WRIGHT

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