Guest post by Francesca Moretti

March is B-Corp month, and to celebrate, B Lab is pushing its Vote Every Day campaign to exciting new heights. That means that B-Corps around the world are gearing up to highlight all the fantastic ways they are making a difference both socially and environmentally, while engaging consumers in forward-thinking plans to build a greener future.

The Future is Green - 3 Inspiring Green Business Stories

If you haven’t yet heard about B Lab, the B-Corp certification or the Vote Every Day campaign, then perhaps it’s time you did. The B-Corp certification is awarded to businesses who meet social sustainability and environmental performance standards, while providing increased accountability and transparency to consumers. The Vote Every Day campaign, on the other hand, is designed to engage consumers to buy from, work for, and work with B-Corps around the world— using their collective purchasing power to fuel real change.

So, to help B-Lab celebrate B-Corp month in March, and to highlight all the great things B-Corps are doing in 2020 and beyond, here we take a look at 3 inspiring businesses that are paving the way for a more ethically and environmentally conscious world.

VEJA

As one of the first eco-conscious sneaker manufacturers, VEJA’s story begins in France. During visits to parts of South America and Asia while running a non-profit organization, founders Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion were shocked at the poor conditions of many of the factories they toured. Inspired by this, they set out to “rethink a popular product,” using the most ecological materials and promoting ethical conditions across the entire supply chain.

Today, through the use of natural Amazonian rubber and recycled plastic bottles, among other eco-friendly materials, VEJA continues to build its “positive chain”. Additionally, all VEJA products are made in Brazil, with a commitment to ensuring that workers are paid fairly and that they work in safe conditions, meaning that the social side of the company is also highly conscious.

VEJA has worked hard to become a multimillion-dollar company. Not content to rest on its accomplishments to date, this proud B-Corp is still growing, wearing its eco heart on its sleeve. As Morillion has explained in interviews,

“VEJA is Brazilian for "look," looking beyond the sneakers, looking at how they're made.”

RTS

Waste management rarely gets the kind of media attention it deserves—after all, trash is much less glamorous than a pair of fresh new sneakers. However, optimizing waste management, increasing recycling, and moving towards a more circular economy is absolutely crucial in the fight to build a greener future.

In 2019, US-based waste management company RTS was recognized among the “Best for the World” honorees, ranking in the top ten of all B-Corps for environmental responsibility. The story begins in New York, in 2015, when founders Gregory Lettieri and Adam Pasquale took a good hard look at the waste piling up in and around the city and realized things needed to change.

Today, through a proprietary system that allows businesses to request on-demand collections, that tracks haulers and optimizes routes, and that provides insightful data on waste diversion and recycling, RTS is changing the face of waste management for the better. Again, the company is proud of its B-Corp status, and is committed to

“loyalty, transparency and accountability to our customers, employees, and community.”

Animal Experience International

Volunteering in either the local or international community is always seen as a particularly altruistic way to commit to a green future. However, the volunteer industry itself is not as transparent or positive as many people would like. Changing all of that is Animal Experience International, a Canadian company that also received the “Best for the Environment” recognition in 2019.

Animal Experience International (AEI) empowers animal lovers around the world to make a real difference to the lives of animals, whether that’s working on a wildlife sanctuary in the Brazilian rainforest or heading past the arctic circle on a research mission. Through safe and environmentally-conscious practices, AEI works directly with local communities and organizations to bring truly sustainable change.

Founder Nora Livingston set up AEI after taking numerous volunteer jobs herself, with sustainability and environmentally-conscious operation always at the front of her mind. Today, alongside its eco-friendly and ethical practices, AEI has also partnered with The Carbon Farmer to make 100% of the travel associated with the company carbon neutral. A curated range of programs is assured thanks to AEI’s longstanding commitment to sustainability, and this is clearly stated on the company website:

“…we have personally visited and assessed all AEI programs. Our partners are ethical, humane, community-based organizations in need of dedicated volunteers like you.

AS B-Corp month continues throughout March, there will be plenty of opportunities to learn more about what B Lab does and how B-Corp certified businesses are making a real difference. To learn more about B Lab and its socially and environmentally conscious certification program, check out the website today.