Featured Grant

B Lab Company

B Lab Company is part of a vanguard of nonprofits tackling the limitations of the corporate form for doing business in the United States.  Under prevailing law in most states today, corporations are required to maximize shareholder value to the exclusion of social and environmental considerations.  This can lead to negative externalities that harm communities and the environment.  B Lab (“B” stands for “beneficial”) seeks to enable for-profit businesses to constructively address issues such as workforce development, wealth distribution, climate change, human health, and poverty alleviation.  B Lab pursues this mission through three initiatives. 

First, B Lab aids efforts in state and local government to legitimize B corporations through legislation permitting companies to pursue economic, social and environmental returns.  B Lab has been active in the enactment of B Corporation legislation in Vermont and Maryland.  B Lab's objective is to help B Corps become legally recognized by the states, tax-preferred by the IRS, and valued by employees, investors, and consumers.

Second, B Lab certifies corporations that meet exacting standards for economic return, employee and community well-being, and environmental protection.  To date, B Lab has certified 315 private U.S. businesses with $1.5 billion in revenues. 

Third, B Lab seeks to accelerate social purpose investing through its Global Impact Investment Rating Standards (GIIRS).  This work also supports preferential procurement practices by governments and large corporations. 

The Flora Family Foundation is providing general operating support to B Lab.