Last month most of our team traveled to New Orleans to participate in our first B Corp Champions Retreat. It was a blast!
We went because this year our company attained Certified B Corp status, joining ranks with companies like New Belgium, Patagonia, and Ben and Jerry’s. To get certified, we had to prove Trebuchet Group meets the highest standards of stewardship of our company, our people, our community, and the natural environment. B Corp certification is like a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval that we are “using our business as a force for good.”
We believe the world is a better place when people get to accomplish great things together. We love to help organizations get clearer about where they are going together and grow the confidence of leaders and teams so they can actually get there. And following the B Corp principles is one way we can do our work in a more impactful and sustainable way.
Why should being a B Corp interest you and your company?
If you believe organizations have a responsibility to create a healthy economy that grows all people’s ability to do meaningful work, and strengthens communities while simultaneously creating a healthy environment for everyone to live in, then I would recommend checking out the certification process.
For our company, the decision was fairly simple. Many of our efforts as a company already lined up with the activities we were doing or were planning to do. We shifted to a local bank, funded a group medical insurance program that worked for us, and added language to our operating agreement that legally allows our leadership to look beyond short-term profits in decision-making.
And here are some opinions of other members of our team on what being part of the B Corp movement means to them.
Jana here, our Senior Business Advisor.
I’ve agreed with the catchphrases that go with the B Corp movement my whole life - people over profits, inclusive economy, social sustainability. So Trebuchet Group attaining B Corp certification felt like we were merely donning a label for what we’d been striving for since Chris founded the company in 2002.
However, the B Corp movement is so much bigger than catchphrases. We attended our first B Corp conference at the end of September, and it really opened my eyes to what truly living your values can look like when you’re trying to make a positive dent in the universe. Being in a room with 600 people who love their jobs is a unique experience, particularly for someone suffering from “Post Traumatic Corporate Stress Disorder”. I knew we were doing good work. I’m now realizing more ways we can improve our work. I’m really glad we’ve found a tribe of companies committed making positive change.
And with that I’ll turn it over to Gurudev, a Principal Consultant on our team.
Gurudev, here, I’m happy to share my thoughts.
I’ve always been motivated more by making a difference than making a buck, so being part of a B Corp is a great opportunity to balance both. Alignment of values is a primary reason why I joined Trebuchet Group in the first place. And now, as our team becomes more integrated into the larger B Corp movement, it’s even more exciting.
We live in such polarized times, that it feels really important to be part of a movement valuing people AND profits, social equity AND personal advancement, eco-friendly AND financial sustainability. Through leadership by the B Corp movement, I see the possibility of realizing a dream I’ve held for decades -- business can be a leading force in creating a better world for all. This co-creative effort requires all of us to step up beyond our comfort zones -- and I’m delighted to find so many committed colleagues willing to do so.
Chris here again.
We believe responsible businesses have always cared for their people, their community, and the environment where they work - and B Corp certification is simply allowing organizations to publicly commit to sharing how they’re choosing to make a difference in the world.
Like to learn more about B Corp certification or how we might help your organization get more clarity and confidence? Let’s Talk!
