First Affirmative Financial Network One of Three U.S. Financial Services Companies Recognized as "Best for the World" in Worker Impact

First Affirmative One of Just 15 Companies in U.S. – And 3 in Colorado -- So Recognized Via "B Impact Assessment"; Colorado Springs Company is One of First 500 "B Corps" in U.S.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First Affirmative Financial Network (First Affirmative), the leading U.S. fee-only Registered Investment Advisor that focuses on sustainable, responsible, impact (SRI) investing, is being recognized today as one of the "Best for the World" companies in terms of creating the most positive worker impact.

First Affirmative is one of the first 500 "Benefit Corporations" in the United States and one of only about 30 in Colorado.

B Lab, the nonprofit organization that governs the B Impact Assessment and also certifies B Corporations, recognized First Affirmative Financial Network as:

• Among the 15 top U.S. corporations in terms of positive worker impact.
• One of three U.S. financial services companies to rank the highest on positive worker impact.  In addition to First Affirmative, B Labs also awarded top honors to Partnership Capital Growth and The Caprock Group.
• One of only three Colorado corporations to rank in the top of positive worker impact.  The other two Colorado companies so recognized are Rally Software and Namaste Solar.

"First Affirmative Financial Network is a leader in the global movement to redefine success in business," said Jay Coen Gilbert, co-founder of B Lab, the nonprofit organization that governs the B Impact Assessment and certifies B Corporations. "First Affirmative is among the best in the world at being the best for the world."

"Unlike traditional corporations, B Corporations consider the full impact of all internal decisions on their employees, suppliers, community, consumers, and the environment—and are legally allowed to do so," said First Affirmative President Steve Schueth.  "This is the way we have conducted our business every single day over the past 24 years.  The recognition that First Affirmative is receiving today is a confirmation of the value of operating in a more responsible manner.  It also translates into a way to characterize the kind of companies we look to own in client portfolios."

First Affirmative and the other "Best for the World" businesses earned a score in the top 10 percent of all Certified B Corporations and scored considerably higher than nearly 2,000 other sustainable businesses that have completed the B Impact Assessment.  The B Impact Assessment, governed by the nonprofit B Lab, is the most rigorous, comprehensive, and comparable independent assessment of overall corporate impact and shows the relative value businesses create for society by comparing nearly 200 individual metrics on corporate impact on workers, consumers, suppliers, community, and the environment.

Certified B Corporations must: 1) meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2) legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3) build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.

About First Affirmative Financial Network

First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC (http://www.FirstAffirmative.com) is an independent fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (SEC File #801-56587) offering investment consulting and asset management services through a nationwide network of investment professionals who specialize in serving socially conscious investors.  First Affirmative produces The SRI Conference, the premier annual gathering of investors and investment professionals focused on sustainable, responsible, impact investing in North America.

About B Lab

B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.  B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between "good companies" and just good marketing; 2) accelerating the growth of the impact investing asset class through use of B Lab's GIIRS impact rating system by institutional investors; and 3) promoting supportive public policies, including creation of a new corporate form and tax, procurement, and investment incentives for sustainable business.  For more information, go to http://www.bcorporation.net/ on the Web.

SOURCE First Affirmative Financial Network, Colorado Springs, CO