Balancing Profit with Purpose: Red Orange Studio's B Corp Journey

Most business owners I know agree that success is defined by metrics that extend beyond revenue and market share. There is a growing drive to leverage business for a greater purpose – through social impact, corporate social responsibility, sustainable business practices, and other efforts. Red Orange Studio was built on a foundation of using business as a force for good. And we’re excited to formalize that effort through our B Corp certification journey.

B Corp certification, which is administered through B Lab, a global nonprofit organization, is a designation for businesses that meet high standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. We have considered B Corp certification several times over the years but decided to move forward in 2024 so that we could quantify our social impact and provide some structure for our team to create and execute purpose-driven initiatives.?

Our B Corp Application Process

Applying to become a certified B Corporation has been a transformative (and rigorous!) experience for us, and in the end will provide a cornerstone to our impact efforts. We hired a consultant through Impact Growth Partners to assist us with the B Impact Assessment (BIA) and supporting documentation. The purpose of the BIA is to measure a company’s performance across various categories, including governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. It covers areas such as energy use, waste management, employee benefits, and community engagement. To achieve certification, a company must score a minimum of 80 out of 200 points. Red Orange scored 120, and we’re currently in the review and verification process with the B Impact Assessment Team and anticipate approval as an official B Corp in 2025.

B Corps must meet specific legal requirements to ensure that their social and environmental goals are legally protected. For our company, this involved amending our governing documents to reflect a commitment to balancing profit and purpose.

Through the B Corp process, we’ve already identified areas for improvement and established several new policies including a formal charitable giving policy and a diverse supplier base policy. We conducted employee diversity surveys and developed metrics to track and enhance our social impact. The certification process has not only validated our efforts but also provided a structured framework for continuous improvement.

This will not be a one-and-done thing. Companies are required to meet B Lab’s standards and undergo recertification every three years. Once we are initially certified, we will maintain a public profile on the B Lab website, which will include public information about our social and environmental impact. This level of accountability is just what we need to ensure Red Orange remains a socially responsible creative agency.?

Why We Chose to Pursue B Corp Certification

I was initially inspired to leverage my business for social good through my first job out of college. I worked as a marketing director for a mission-driven wealth management company. The company emphasized philanthropy and purpose in a tangible way that resonated with me, and I carried this philosophy into how I formed my own company. Through my years of business ownership, I found more inspiration with each nonprofit we worked with. I also found aspirational agencies in my field who were combining profit and purpose in a meaningful way. One of these aspirational companies was a 200-employee print and digital agency in Lincoln, Nebraska that was the first B Corporation in that state. After a tour of their facility and a visit with their CEO, I learned how a certified B Corp enabled that company to meet high standards of social and environmental performance. This level of accountability and transparency is what I desired for Red Orange Studio, and this visit was the beginning of my journey to create tangible impact initiatives to enhance value for employees, clients and all stakeholders.

How We Measure Social Impact

Like any business, we monitor key metrics each week at Red Orange. Four of these numbers are fairly standard business metrics related to revenue, profit, efficiency and customer satisfaction. However, three are centered around social impact and corporate social responsibility: percentage of nonprofit work, charitable giving and volunteer hours.

This is because we, along with so many other companies, recognize that intentional social impact is not just a moral imperative but a strategic advantage – and an essential element in employee satisfaction. This shift in business strategy over the last decade is especially pertinent now as brand reputation and stakeholder engagement are becoming more crucial to long-term success. Not to mention that it’s just the right thing to do. And the idea of giving back to the community is not just for nonprofits anymore. Our communities and our families need both nonprofit and for-profit companies to play a critical role in shaping the future.?

Red Orange Social Impact Initiatives

Charitable giving and volunteering were consistently a part of what we did at Red Orange, but in 2018 we wanted to be more intentional about creating social impact initiatives that were a part of the company’s operations. That was the first year of our PIP Nonprofit Award, now an annual program that provides pro-bono marketing and creative services to local nonprofits and start-ups.

A “pip” is a small orange seed, so the meaning of the name was integrated into our overall company brand. We used the word to create an acronym: PIP – People Inspirating People. This phrase inspired us to garner interest from other marketing agencies and invite them to participate, multiplying our efforts and the number of nonprofits we could help. Videographers (Journey Seven), researchers (Feedback and Good Run Research), strategists (Brand Federation), audio engineers (Rian Hunter Productions), web developers and other creatives across Virginia came together as “Pipsters” (PIP Partners) and awarded over $300,000 of pro-bono services. This initiative not only helps organizations in need but also strengthens our team’s skills and commitment to meaningful work. By engaging in projects that contribute to the greater good, we’re able to create a ripple effect that extends beyond our immediate business environment.

?In 2019, we created an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Internship Program by partnering with the Design Department at Virginia State University.? Since then, we have welcomed several talented interns, added Norfolk State University as a partnering school and even hired one intern as a full-time graphic designer. This initiative is a concerted effort to provide opportunities to students with various backgrounds and provide us a recruitment effort that leans on sometimes undiscovered talent.

?

These two initiatives are built to last as our company grows, and becoming a B Corp was the next step to ensuring we were held accountable to this mission-driven work.

The Business Case for Social Responsibility

In the marketing and creative industry, brand perception is key. Clients increasingly want partners who align with their values and make a positive impact. By showcasing our social impact initiatives and our B Corp certification, we’re not only differentiating ourselves in a competitive market but also building deeper, more meaningful relationships with our clients and stakeholders.

Research shows a clear link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business success. Companies with strong CSR programs tend to see greater customer loyalty and employee satisfaction, which often leads to revenue growth. Plus, businesses known for their social impact have a better chance of attracting top talent and earning customer trust.

A report by Cone Communications found that 87% of consumers will choose a product or service because the company advocates for a cause they care about. Similarly, 76% of employees feel more motivated to work for a company with strong CSR values. These numbers show that incorporating social impact isn’t just about doing good—it’s also about doing well in business.

At Red Orange Studio, integrating social impact into our strategy has fueled our growth. By aligning our values with our operations, we’re enhancing both our business and the world around us. As more companies embrace this approach, the future of business will belong to those who successfully harmonize purpose with profit.