Leveling Up for a More Inclusive Economy
B The Change Weekly: February 10, 2023
B The Change Weekly provides the most important and most relevant stories about people using business as a force for good. The weekly newsletter features a note from the B The Change team alongside insight and context on the stories we share here on Medium. Below is our latest roundup. To receive these insights directly in your inbox, sign up for B The Change Weekly today. Now on to the good stuff:
To shift the power of influence in the global economic system, Certified B Corporations around the world are exploring new ways of doing business that remove barriers to opportunity.
The examples highlighted this week reflect how B Corps are adjusting and reshaping practices and programs to center long-excluded voices and perspectives:
- The Level program (nearing its third year!) provides businesses that are led by Black, Indigenous, or People of Color who also identify as women, with resources needed to measure and improve their impact, tell their story, adopt legal stakeholder governance, and certify as a B Corp.
- Paid internships to help emerging leaders from underrepresented backgrounds gain valuable skills and experience in the workforce.
- A learning session on building equitable data practices that encourage inclusive and informed decision-making.
With these programs and practices — and thousands of others emerging around the world — B Corps are acting individually for collective impact and greater inclusion.
Removing Systemic Barriers to Economic Employment
Aurora Archer combined her 25 years of experience in corporate America with her lived experience as a Black Latina to launch The Opt-In, a new B Corp that helps brands transform their organizational cultures. At Champions Retreat 2022, she shared her story as a participant in year two of the Level program and urged business leaders to stand up for greater inclusion and representation in the business world. Learn more.
Elevating Emerging Leaders of Color Through Paid Internships
Internships are a crucial way for emerging leaders, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to gain valuable skills and experience in the workforce. They’re also an opportunity for companies to advance equity in the workplace. On B The Change, Dominick Gray shares insights on his experience as an intern with B Local Bay Area and a look at other B Corps offering opportunities for students of color. Learn more.
6 Steps to Help Organizations Build Equitable Data Practices
B Corp ResultsLab believes business decisions should always include the perspectives of the individuals and communities who will be affected. To build capacity in other organizations for informed decision-making, ResultsLab recently hosted a learning session led by the Founder of We All Count, Heather Krause, focused on the foundations of data equity: what it means, why “objective data” is a myth, and how to build a more equitable data practice. Learn more.
Stay in the Know
Here’s your chance to catch up on recent articles:
In a More Inclusive Economy, Who Gets a Seat at the Decision-Making Table? Level Program Supports Women of Color-Led Businesses Facing Systemic Barriers to Economic Empowerment
How Helpsy Works: What Really Happens to Unwanted Clothing? B Corp Fights Fast Fashion by Helping Consumers Rethink Clothing Reuse and Recycling
A Framework for Companies That Want to Avoid Greenwashing: How to Ensure Your Company’s Sustainability Claims Are Accurate and Meaningful for the Planet
Data Equity and the Impact of Our Choices: 6 Steps to Help Organizations Build Equitable Data Practices
How a Purpose-Driven Distillery Is Innovating for a Thriving Community in Montana: Pink Bench Distilling Drives Development of a Regenerative, Inclusive Economy
Elevating Emerging Leaders of Color Through Paid Internships: The Benefits of Paid Internships for Diversity, Inclusion, and the Next Generation of the B Corp Movement
Would You Change Your Business Model If It Meant Losing Millions in Revenue? B Corp Leaf and Limb Did Just That, and They’ll Tell You It Was Worth It
B The Change gathers and shares the voices from within the movement of people using business as a force for good and the community of Certified B Corporations. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the nonprofit B Lab.
