Beyond the B: Latest on the B Corp Movement

Kevin Bayouk from LIFT Economy, a key player in the Purpose Pledge initiative, dives into the exciting intersection of purpose and profits. He clarifies misconceptions about the Purpose Pledge and B Corp certification, emphasizing their complementary nature. The conversation highlights how the Purpose Pledge pushes companies to prioritize societal and environmental impacts. Bayouk also discusses the initiative's mission to foster collaborative practices aimed at transforming the business landscape for a more sustainable future.

In this episode of Beyond the B, co-hosts Ryan Honeyman and Emmy Allison explore the recent decision by Dr. Bronner’s to decertify as a B Corporation. Ryan kicks off the episode with a monologue offering both a generous interpretation of the decision and constructive feedback on how the announcement could have been handled differently.Then, Emmy and Ryan are joined by Farmer Cee (Clarenda Stanley), CEO of Green Heffa Farms and a leader in the B Corp community. As a Black woman in regenerative agriculture, a small business owner, and the first company to go through the B Lab Level program, Farmer Cee shares her candid reaction to Dr. Bronner’s decision. She discusses the implications for small and historically excluded businesses, the importance of maintaining rigorous yet accessible standards, and the broader impact on the B Corp community.View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/dr-bronners-decertifies-as-a-b-corpUnlock your free B Corp Values Assessment—plus tips and insights to help your business grow. https://go.lifteconomy.com/b-corp-newsletter

We are sharing this crossover episode from Next Economy Now, our other LIFT podcast highlighting the leaders who that are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, democratic, equitable, racially-just, and whole-systems approach to creating the new economy.Check out all episodes here lifteconomy.com/podcast.How can we move beyond shame and blame to foster collaboration in addressing climate challenges? In this episode, Jenny Morgan, climate strategist and author of Cancel Culture in Climate, discusses the intersection of B Corps, cancel culture, regenerative economics, and sustainable business practices.For full show notes, visit: https://www.lifteconomy.com/blog/jenny-morgan/Unlock your free B Corp Values Assessment—plus tips and insights to help your business grow. https://go.lifteconomy.com/b-corp-newsletter

In this mailbag episode, we give an update on Beyond the B listener stats, answer your questions about the new B Corp standards, share the latest updates from B Lab, and explain how you can already begin to make progress on the new B Corp standards--before their official release!View the show notes. https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/make-progress-on-the-new-b-corp-standards-todayUnlock your free B Corp Values Assessment—plus tips and insights to help your business grow. https://go.lifteconomy.com/b-corp-newsletter

Vincent Stanley, a longtime Patagonia executive and co-author of The Responsible Company, shares insights on Patagonia's journey with the B Corp movement. He discusses the initial hesitance to join B Lab and the operational revelations that followed. Balancing urgency with patience in sustainability is a key theme, as is the importance of localism and community engagement. Vincent also explores the challenges of integrating large companies into the B Corp framework and emphasizes the need for businesses to align values with their models for lasting impact.

Kevin Bayuk, owner and partner at LIFT Economy, returns to discuss the transformative 10 Principles of Next Economy enterprises. He critiques traditional intellectual property models, advocating for open-source practices that promote community wealth. Bayuk emphasizes the importance of transparency for trust and inclusive governance, along with regenerative operations that prioritize ecosystem restoration. He also explores strategies for supporting movement building and personal growth within organizations, urging businesses to start with a purpose-driven vision.

In this engaging discussion, Kevin Bayuk, co-founder of Lyft Economy and an impact investment strategist, explores how enterprises can transcend B Corp certification. He highlights the first five principles of Next Economy enterprises, emphasizing the need for organizations to focus on meeting human needs, foster inclusive ownership, and cultivate equitable cultures. Kevin argues for the importance of supporting local economies and embedding education into goods and services, providing a dynamic roadmap for creating a regenerative and just future.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the history and evolution of one of the most obscure, fascinating, and constantly evolving aspects of the B Corp movement--the B Corp verification process. We are joined by Kali Gibson, former Co-Director of Certification and Verification for B Lab Global, who shares her firsthand experience of scaling the process, tackling the pandemic backlog, and balancing the growing demand for certification with limited resources.View the Show Notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/b-corp-verification-processUnlock your free B Corp Values Assessment—plus tips and insights to help your business grow. https://go.lifteconomy.com/b-corp-newsletter

Are any of your clients involved in controversial industries? Tune in to learn more about B Lab's new framework ("Companies with Clients in Controversial Industries") for assessing the nature of your company's involvement with the client, the difference between controversial vs. ineligible industries, and whether you will need to meet additional requirements in order to be eligible for B Corp certification.View the show notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/can-your-clients-jeopardize-your-b-corp-certificationUnlock your free B Corp Values Assessment—plus tips and insights to help your business grow. https://go.lifteconomy.com/b-corp-newsletter

Juan Pablo Larenas, co-founder of Sistema B, discusses the B Corp movement’s global reach and the unique governance hurdles of scaling it internationally. He shares insights on growing the B Corp community, expanding impact, and sustaining collective action globally.Show Notes: https://go.lifteconomy.com/blog/sistema-b-juan-pablo-larenasUnlock your free B Corp Values Assessment—plus tips and insights to help your business grow. https://go.lifteconomy.com/b-corp-newsletter