The top companies to work for are those self-aware of their strengths and oriented for impact in their work, people, and locale. It’s a sign of a business that knows where they play and where they don’t to best serve their customer. It also means they make long-term decisions that are healthy for the business, good for their people, and contribute to the local economy. If you have been looking for the bat-signal of companies that exhibit these behaviors, look for a B Corp.
What is a B Corp?
A B Corp company is a business that has completed a rigorous certification process that assesses the business on social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. B Corps have a reputation for:
- being mission-driven in their offering and culture
- leading equitable practices
- having higher than average retention
- being active in building up the local economy
- being profitable and garnering greater investment
Certification takes months (if not a year) and the commitment continues as companies re-certify every three years. It’s a prestigious group that uses business as a force for good. Atomic Object became a B Corporation in 2017 and has maintained, and improved, our certification since.
I’m proud of the B Corp designation because it signals the early effort toward building an evergreen business and the ongoing hard work happening at Atomic today.
Impactful Work
So, what does using business as a force for good look like in practice?
- Employee Ownership – We’re 100% employee-owned through our non-ESOP employee ownership plan and continue to grow the number of owners year over year.
- Transparency – We practice open-book management and create spaces for a diverse perspective of employees to contribute and influence decisions.
- Professional Development – We give Atoms the autonomy and support to choose conferences, experiments, or experiences that level up their craft.
- Investing in our Local Neighborhoods – We shop local for the needs of the business, to sponsor local initiatives, for pair lunches, and to grow our partner network.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – We continue to advance our benefits, policies, and accountability throughout the organization. We prioritize ongoing training, an internal Diversity Action Council, and supporting the tech industry for diverse populations in our communities.
What does it mean for our clients?
All this impactful work makes us a top-performing long-term partner for our clients. We’re engaged in our communities, building relationships to help create value outside of our own four walls. And, it means supporting a business model that is accountable to being better for workers and for the environment.
So, what does all this amount to? In practice, B Corps have a greater probability of being stable and sustainable. If you’re looking for a partner or vendor that optimizes for getting it right the first time, delivering a great experience, and paying it forward to their people and communities, look no further than a B Corp.
Become a B Corp
Any for-profit business that has been in operation for a year is eligible for B Corp Certification. Even startups and new businesses can start early with the Pending B Corp agreement. Visit B Lab to learn more about the B Corp certification process.