Travois Honored Internationally as "Best For The World" by B Lab

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Travois, a Certified B Corporation^® headquartered in Kansas City, has been named a Best For The World honoree by global nonprofit B Lab in two categories: Overall and Customers.

Travois ranks in the top 10% of all B Corps worldwide across all six impact areas — the environment, workforce, local communities, suppliers, customers and corporate governance —  which earned them Best For The World: Overall recognition.

Only 119 U.S. companies were recognized as Best For the World: Overall. Travois is the only Missouri-based company, and one of only a few Midwest companies. 

"We've been a mission-driven business since our inception in 1995, and our customers and our employees have always been our priority," CEO Elizabeth Glynn said. "Corporate America is catching on to what we've known for a long time. Certified B Corporations are leading the way, and we're proud to be a Best For the World honoree. We encourage all corporations to look closely at their business practices, take action and be accountable."

Travois has set the bar for responsible and successful businesses around the world by bringing private investor capital to Native American communities, providing top employee benefits like an on-site daycare, and by using an extensive renewable energy system of rooftop solar panels to power its headquarters building.

Travois was also named Best For The World: Customers in recognition of their work to improve the lives of their customers. Ranking in the top 10% of all 3,000 B Corps for their positive impact on their customers, Travois earned this honor because its work promotes public benefit, is designed to solve a social or environmental issue, creates economic opportunity for individuals and communities and focuses on underserved populations.

Travois has generated $1.4 billion in housing and economic development in American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, helping clients build or rehabilitate more than 5,400 affordable homes. Additionally, Travois provides financing for critical economic development projects, including infrastructure, health care, community centers, education facilities and other businesses.

Best For The World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit that certifies and supports Certified B Corporations, which are for-profit companies dedicated to using business as a force for good. The 3,000 Certified B Corporations across 64 countries and 150 industries are unified by one common goal: to redefine success in business.

B Corps meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corp Certification doesn't just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall positive impact of the company that stands behind it — like Travois. Using the B Impact Assessment, B Lab evaluates how a company's operations and business model impact its workers, community, environment and customers. To achieve the B Corp Certification, a company must achieve a score of at least 80 points on the assessment.

"We're incredibly proud of this year's Best For The World honorees," says Anthea Kelsick, Chief Marketing Officer of B Lab. "These inspiring companies represent the kinds of business models and impact-driven business strategies that are building a new economy—one that is inclusive, regenerative and delivers value to all stakeholders, not just shareholders. To that end, B Corps like Travois are redefining capitalism and showing that it actually can work for everyone."

1,000 B Corps from 44 countries were named to the 2019 Best For The World lists across the six impact areas, including Patagonia, Beautycounter, Dr. Bronner's, TOMS, Seventh Generation, and Greyston Bakery. The 2019 Best For The World honorees are determined based on the verified B Impact Assessments of Certified B Corporations. The full lists are available on bcorporation.net. 

About Travois
Founded in 1995, Travois is a Certified B Corporation^®️ focused exclusively on promoting affordable housing and economic development for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities. Travois has brought more than $800 million in private investor equity to 200+ developments in Indian Country — with a total value of more than $1.4 billion. In addition to development services, the Travois family of companies offers master planning, architectural design, environmental assessments, impact investing models, asset management and compliance services and comprehensive training to clients in 22 states, from Hawaii and Alaska to California and Maine. For more information, visit travois.com.

About B Lab: B Lab is a nonprofit that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good. B Lab's initiatives include B Corp Certification, administration of the B Impact Management programs and software, and advocacy for governance structures like the benefit corporation. B Lab's vision is of an inclusive and sustainable economy that creates a shared prosperity for all. To date, there are 3,000 Certified B Corps in over 150 industries and 64 countries, and over 50,000 companies use the B Impact Assessment. For more information, visit bcorporation.net

SOURCE Travois