From Strategy Arts’ early days we have focused on how organizations work, recognizing that good planning requires good analysis and careful attention to the people that make up a business. We also recognize that organizations have a responsibility beyond their own boundaries; even beyond their mission or profit objectives. Today’s local and global challenges are too big for individuals and governments to tackle alone; business needs to be part of the team. We believe that this extends beyond being a good corporate citizen to actively engaging in and with our communities to drive towards a more sustainable world. “Being a B Corporation” is one part of what we do to keep that focus.
The B logo we proudly display on our website, business cards and documents indicates that we operate our business in an ethical, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible manner that is responsive to the needs of all of our stakeholders. To use it we need to pass a verifiable audit of our business practices by B Lab and incorporate language in our operating agreements assuring that we are not restricted to profit only criteria when making business decisions. We are proud of our founding role in the B Corp community. What excites us even more is the responsibility we accept by being a B Corp.
When Bart and Jay, the founders of B Lab, first discussed their concept with us we enthusiastically signed on. If you have read about or know any B Corps you have probably heard the phrase “a better way to do business”. We enthusiastically agree. In fact, at Strategy Arts, we see it as THE WAY to do business. Being a B Corp has helped us build and strengthen the idea at the heart of our business. Put simply it is that business is about more than good analysis and management, it is also about people, human nature, and interdependence. To build successful and sustainable businesses we need to look at both the analytical and human side of business. The B Corp framework offered us the opportunity to continue to build and expand on our initial concepts and provided the structure to keep us true to our values.
Being a B corporation to us is about:
– Constantly reaching for ways to do business that not only make a healthy profit but help to address the challenges and inequities we all face together in our world.
– Recognizing the interdependence that we all have with each other in the business community and world at large in everything we do.
– Asking ourselves the hard questions such as “who is impacted by this decision”, or “how can we reduce any harmful impacts from the things we do?”
– Recognizing that our role and influence as consultants can help our clients develop a broader perspective on their businesses and engage in supportive relationships with a wider range of their stakeholders.
– Creating a supportive work environment for our partners, employees, subcontractors, and the wider Strategy Arts community.
So why is a consulting company a B Corp? Because it reinforces our values, supports our ability to help our clients think differently and more broadly about their businesses and helps us fulfill our responsibility to be a contributing member the communities in which we operate. We would love to see more B Corp partners in our network and welcome the opportunity to talk with you about our “Being a B Corp” journey and how it can help all of us profitably build a more sustainable world.
