How to B-Come a B Corp

How to B-Come A B Corp?

Do You Envision Your Organization As a B Corp? Tips to Get Started Below?

As a recently Certified B Corporation , iF is fired up about finding new ways to drive intentional learning, equitable solutioning, and collective action through our work. We love tackling big, complex problems, yet we recognize that our footprint is small and the impact we can have is limited. We believe in the power of many to drive equitable and lasting change at scale. Our previous iF Insight on “The Time to B Better Is Now” outlines why the world urgently needs more companies to become B Corps, and busts three common misconceptions about what it means to be a B Corporation.??

In the spirit of encouraging others to join the movement, we’re sharing what we learned in hopes that it may inspire you to seek B Corp Certification. What follows is advice for any company that is curious about pursuing the path to B Corp, but is unsure how to get started:

When in doubt, project manage it. The core of the B Corp application process is achieving a minimum of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment and there are many avenues to get there. Treat your assessment? like any other project. Organization matters, and it will save your company time and money to effectively project manage this workstream from day one.?

• Assign a project manager and provide them sufficient time to lead this work
• Create a project plan and timeline based on the priority operational improvements from the B Impact Assessment
• Determine and approve an internal budget
• Dedicate data and content management resources and tools to organize and track assessment progress

Keep the inner circle small, and keep everyone in the loop. We found that having a few layers of internal stakeholders helped keep things moving, while ensuring we got the right input at the right times.?

• Engage leadership team throughout the process to ensure stewards for major workstreams.??
• Provide regular updates to the company and stakeholders.?
• Get input from all directions. It is critical that you actively recruit diverse perspectives to inform the practices, processes, and tools that will help your company best serve its mission and activate greater positive impact.

Intentionally learn and seek feedback on an ongoing basis.

• Learn about the B Corp process through webinars and resources .?
• Hold all-hands brainstorms to understand impact goals, projects that best demonstrate our ability to make a difference, and areas for growth. Hold open and honest debrief sessions with clients.
• Regularly survey your employee base to inform company goals and highlight areas of improvement– it garners honest feedback and strengthens your B Impact Assessment. Survey broader stakeholders on an annual basis to best inform future engagement with clients, alumni, friends, family, fans, and the community.?

Connect with those who’ve done it before. Sometimes the best way to learn is to look to those who have paved the way. We would like to thank the following people for inspiring us to pursue a B Corp Certification, and for making the time to offer guidance and help along the way.

• Alain Sylvain, Prior Founder and CEO, SYLVAIN , New York City NY
• Rosy Boyer, Director of Finance & Operations, BPN , Portland OR
• Michelle Fink, Director of Operations, Reverb , Seattle WA
• Pamela Grinter and Jane Pryjmak, Legal Experts, Fox Rothschild LLP , Seattle WA

Don’t get discouraged – lean into your gaps. The B Impact Assessment can feel daunting at first, but it is an opportunity to look at your company through an objective lens to see how you can bolster what you already do and challenge yourself to be even better. As you go through the assessment, you may find there are some practices your company already does or used to do to some degree. The B Impact Assessment is the perfect time to document and improve your existing processes, implement new ones, and educate your employees on your shared commitments – ultimately strengthening your culture. There are many paths to achieve the 80-point threshold and all of them lead to being more sustainable and ethical in the long run. Achieving B Corp status has allowed iF to take our mindset, practices, and commitments to the next level. We hope you will join us!?

Interested in chatting more???

Reach out to Debi Blizard, Principal of Social Impact at iF, at [email protected] ?

Happenings

Other things we've been working on...?

• Tia, Alec, Ryker, Nolie, and Andew re-worked a series of Evidence-Based Teaching Practices that allowed their clients to live and share their mission in a more unified and impactful way. They are excited to continue this work by building a Microsite in the coming months.?
• In a collaboration between our Education and Digital Strategy & Innovation teams, Alison, Gentry, Sam, and Ryker recently wrapped up a project that explored integrating AI as a coach for students to improve their writing skills, exploring the pros and cons of the different AI integration pathways as they seek to support their students nationwide.
• Christian is working hard to grow the Organization Design practice to optimize the processes and systems that allow your organization to thrive. He just kicked off the Culture Web Leadership Series, a webinar sequence geared towards leaders committed to driving meaningful results without compromising the employee experience. Interested? Sign up below.

Sign Up Here

Read, Watch, & Listen

Tia Holiday, Director, Postsecondary Education Lead – “ The Abuse and Misogynoir Playbook” by Dr. Katlyn Turner, Prof. Danielle Wood and Prof. Catherine D'Ignazio

(Note: this publication contains references to historical violence and abuse to black women throughout history.)

Since Dr. Claudine Gay's ousting of President at Harvard , recent (and constant) news about Black women in high levels of leadership who have left after a short tenure in their positions have been proliferating. Throughout this time, I have been referring back to MIT's “The Abuse and Misogynoir Playbook.” As a Black woman who sits in more positions of leadership lately, I have reflected a lot about how this cycle has played out in my own career, and how I can bring this perspective and work of brilliant scholars into my own project work to break the cycle of "Disbelieving, devaluing, and discrediting the contributions of Black women" in non-profit and private sectors.

Mitch Ratcliffe, Director of Digital Strategy & Innovation – Democratizing the future of AI R&D: NSF to launch National AI Research Resource pilot

As AI rapidly permeates daily life, government, non-profits, and the tech sector are coming together to provide a resource to democratize research into responsible applications of generative artificial intelligence. The National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource, which is backed by 25 AI companies, the National Science Foundation, NGOs, and philanthropies, is available now at https://nairrpilot.org/ . Researchers need to know this resource to stay at the forefront of AI innovation that serves society.

Andrew Aung Phyo, Strategic Technologist – Partnership with Axel Springer to deepen beneficial use of AI in journalism

This press announcement captured my attention because it poses myriad unique opportunities, implications, and questions and when it comes to AI and news media. It seems to represent a step forward in providing users more accurate up-to-date information in GPT chat interfaces - though in a more ideal world, I'd like to see a broader range of outlets represented in these kinds of tools (and of course, paid in such arrangements). Who knows what the future holds in the age of artificial intelligence?

Work & Insights?

Student Centered Solutions: Designing a Student Fellows Program?

Co-Designing a Culture Change?

Paying Attention to Burnout

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Thank You?

To our clients, former and current; our fans; our colleagues; and our friends, we thank you for your continued support. Reach out to us anytime at [email protected] .