Centennial State Colorado Reaches 100 Certified B Corporations this Month, Leading as One of the Highest "Business for Good" States + Regions in the World

DENVER, Nov. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- It's well known that Colorado is at the forefront of innovation and startups; now the Centennial State leads the way in corporate responsibility. As of November 2017, more than 100 Colorado companies have achieved the prestigious B Corporation Certification, making Colorado home to one of the highest concentrations of Certified B Corporations in the world.

"Some of the most innovative, inspiring, and impactful companies in the world are headquartered in Colorado, with thriving industry sectors such as renewable energy, clean tech, natural and organic foods and outdoor recreation leading the way," said Governor John Hickenlooper. "As Coloradans, we believe our bold capitalistic aspirations can be in harmony with our obligations to our community and the planet. Seeing more than one hundred Colorado companies deepening their commitment to positive impact by becoming Certified B Corps is a testament to their commitment to making the Centennial State an even more vibrant and prosperous place."

B Lab, the global nonprofit behind B Corporations, opened a full-time office in Colorado in 2014 thanks to a generous grant from the Denver-based Piton Foundation. The significant growth in the responsible business community in Colorado in recent years, including a 400+ percent increase in Certified B Corporations, is due in large part to this focused statewide effort.

B Corps voluntarily meet rigorous global standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. There are over 2300 Certified B Corporations around the world. Notable Colorado B Corps include New Belgium Brewing, Foundry Group, Bhakti Chai, Techstars, Madhava Sweeteners, Door to Door Organics, Colorado Impact Fund, Newton Running, Unreasonable Group, Gary Community Investments, Moye White LLP and many others. (See the full list of Colorado B Corps below.)

"Colorado is a place where companies embrace the notion that their purpose in business is not only to generate private wealth but also to create higher quality jobs for Colorado's citizens, to strengthen our communities and to protect the environment," said B Lab's Colorado Director Kim Coupounas. "Our mountain peaks and blue skies call us to something higher, to build enterprises with purpose that reflect our noblest ambitions for this place we call home."

"These are leaders who are thinking deeply about how they can make a positive impact in our state and the world," said Colorado B Local Board co-chair, Kimberly Kosmenko of Kosmenko & Co. "They've embraced impact to the core of their business strategy."

"Colorado B Corps are together in community and as individual businesses laying the foundation of the emerging economy where profit and purpose are interdependent, not mutually exclusive," said Brian Lichtenheld, B Local Board co-chair of Help2Heal. 

The B Corp community will be celebrating its 100th B Corp, its 10th year of impact in the state, and the launch of the B Local Colorado Board at a celebratory event on November 9th at Impact Hub in Boulder. For more information and to register, visit www.blocalcolorado.com.

The B Corps that certified in 2017 and enabled the community to cross the 100 B Corps mark are Pause i/O, BSW Wealth Partners LLC, Wash Park Capital, Global Works, Scream Agency, Chopwood LLC, Conservation Investment Management LLC, Organic Bliss Inc., Rachio, Where There Be Dragons, CSMLearn, Synthesis Life Insurance, UpDIG, White & Elm, Ecosystems Group Inc., Public News Service, Guild Education, Apostrophe Inc., Lyda Law Firm, and Vermilion Inc.

The global trend of businesses channeling innovation and talent to help address our planet's most pressing social and environmental challenges is one of the most important trends of our time. With its vibrant innovation and impact-focused ecosystem, Colorado is well-positioned to lead the way in contributing to - and benefitting from - this global trend.

B Corp certification is one way that Colorado businesses are contributing to this leadership. Another way is through the Best for Colorado program (www.bestforco.com), a statewide partnership between B Lab, Colorado Certified B Corporations, and more than 30 business and governmental organizations including the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). The program is designed to inspire and equip all businesses in Colorado to use their business as a force for good, inviting companies to strive to be the best for Colorado's workers, communities, and the environment. Currently, over 125 Colorado companies are already participating ranging from Snooze Eatery to Yellowdog Printing to DanoneWave. The program launched on June 8th at the Governor's residence, historic Boettcher Mansion, where more than 100 business and civic leaders gathered to celebrate the businesses already participating and doing great things for our state. Colorado companies can get involved by taking that challenge before Feb. 9, 2018 at www.bestforco.com.

Another way that Colorado is leading_, is in the number of Colorado "public benefit corporations," a new for-profit corporate form that holds a company legally accountable for the interests of their workers, communities and the environment. Colorado was among the earliest states to pass benefit corporation legislation, now available in 33 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, and has among the highest number of public benefit corporations in the world with over 900 incorporated in Colorado.

A Brighter Future for Coloradans
So what? Take the case of Fort Collins-based New Belgium Brewing, the third largest craft brewer in the United States. They make delicious beer. They also happen to be one of the most innovative and responsible companies in the world. The company pays a "living wage" to all of its employees, offers perks like free beer and bicycles and, most importantly, the opportunity after a year to become a co-owner of the company, which is 100 percent employee-owned. They give back significantly to their local community and manage their business with near-obsession level focus on environmental stewardship, including use of onsite solar and biogas. On top of it all, say employees, it's just a darn fun place to work. As New Belgium's co-founder Kim Jordan says, "We are profitable not in spite of our social and environmental efforts, but because of them." 

Can you imagine what Colorado's economy and communities would be like if all companies operated in this way?

ABOUT
B Lab 
B Lab is a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good™. Its vision is that one day all companies compete not only to be the best in the world, but the Best for the World® and as a result society will enjoy a more shared and durable prosperity. www.bcorporation.net

Best for Colorado
Best for Colorado is a statewide program that teaches all Colorado businesses how to create higher quality jobs, build stronger communities, and preserve a healthier environment. www.bestforco.com

B Local Colorado
B Local Colorado is a coalition of Colorado B Corporation leaders engaging Certified B Corporations in our state. We have made it our mission to help organizations be Best for Colorado and Best for the World. www.blocalcolorado.com

Colorado B Corporations (operating and/or incorporated in CO, in alphabetical order)
1908 Brands
Altvia Solutions
AmeriCann, Inc.
Amicus Solar Cooperative
Apostrophe, Inc.
aWhere, Inc.
Best Organics, Inc.
Bhakti Chai
Black Fox Philanthropy
Bloomin
Blue Dot Advocates
Bolder Industries
BSW Wealth Partners
Caddis PC
CauseLabs
Change Finance (Pending B Corp)
Chopwood
Clear Comfort Water
Coda Coffee
Colorado Capital Management
Colorado Impact Fund
Conscience Bay Company
Conscious Coffees
Conscious Company Magazine
Conservation Investment Management
CSMlearn
Cultivation Center
DOJO4
Domoto Brands
Door to Door Organics
Eco Brands Group - Ecologic Designs / Green Guru
Eco-Products, Inc.
Ecosystems Group, Inc.
Envirofit International Inc.
Fearless Unlimited
First Affirmative Financial Network
Fishpond Inc.
Foundry Group
Gary Community Investments
Global Works
Goddess Garden
Green Alpha Advisors
Greenline Community Ventures
GreenSpot Global
GroundFloor Media
Group14 Engineering
Guild Education
Help2Heal
Impact Hub Boulder
Inspire Commerce
iSupportU
Jason Wiener, P.C.
Kosmenko & Co.
Lyda Law Firm
Madhava Sweeteners
Megan A. James Photography
Microgrid Energy
Motherlove Herbal Company
Moye White
Namaste Solar
Natural Investments
NAVA Real Estate Development
New Belgium Brewing Co, Inc.
Newton Running
Ocean First
Organic Bliss, Inc.
Organic India USA
Pause i/O
Planet Bluegrass
Public News Service
Purely Elizabeth
Rachio
reThink
Ripple Strategies
Scream Agency
Sierra Sage Herbs
Simple Energy
Super Humane
Synthesis Life Insurance
Teatulia Organic Teas
Techstars
Tendril
The Communications Refinery PBC
The Dandavati Group
The Paradigm Project
The Tea Spot, Inc.
Unreasonable Group
UpDIG
Urban Green Development
Vermillion
Vision Executive Coaching
Vista Caballo
Walden Hyde
Wallaroo Hat Company
WashPark Capital
Waste Farmers
Where There Be Dragons
White & Elm
World Leadership School
Zen Business Consulting

Contacts:

Kim Coupounas, Director, B Lab Colorado, [email protected] 303.884.8658
Laura Love, GroundFloor Media, [email protected] 303.865.8115
Lora Ledermann, Scream Agency, [email protected] 303.893.8608 x.202

SOURCE B Lab