THE RISE AND RISE OF BUSINESS AS A FORCE FOR GOOD

At the B Lab Champions Retreat in Los Angeles attendees in September, nearly 700 attttendees representing the B’s—the tip of a global movement numbering 60,000 companies—are gathered to honor great performers. And to declare victory

The B’s are B Corporations, companies that have been certified by B Lab, a nonprofit dedicated to the concept that business must be a force for good, rather than profit alone, and allies working toward that goal. That concept had clearly become mainstream when, in August, the Business Roundtable, which represents the nation’s leading corporations, rejected “shareholder primacy” as the sole purpose of business in favor of stakeholder considerations. By doing so, the business titans at the very least acknowledged that business must have a purpose beyond making money—that companies must serve their customers, their employees, and their communities as well as their investors.

That is B Lab’s mission. The B stands for “benefit,” as in the social purpose businesses serve—or should. “Good is the new cool,” explains Afdhel Aziz, a serial social entrepreneur and inspirational speaker. He’s so sure of it, in fact, that he’s adopted that phrase as his brand. It’s even embroidered on his hat. That helped distinguish him from the many B Corps attendees who are wearing the “B” brand literally stitched onto their sleeves.

Denise Taschereau found her purpose in selling socially responsible promotional items when she realized that many great brands were giving away “terrible