How the Small Business with a Conscience Sparks a Revolution
"You're never too small to make a difference."
- Greta Thunberg
Your world needs help.
Icecaps are melting.
Hate crimes against BIPOC communities are increasing.
All going on at ever accelerating speeds.
Where do you find hope?
How can you help?
Where do you start?
If you believe a kinder, greener, more equitable world makes for a better life, you're not alone.
Close to two-thirds of U.S. adults (64%) say protecting the environment should be a top priority for the president and Congress, according to a 2020 poll by Pew Research.
Nearly 60% of citizens say race relations in America are generally bad, according to a 2019 poll by Pew Research. Similar findings show increased negative feelings about the LGBTQ community.
Clearly research more than hints that a mandate for environmental and social justice exists.
But how do we initiate such action?
And who’s going to lead it?
It's something we’ve thought about. And it’s our thinking that one group can be the critical spark to accelerate such a movement in a VERY BIG WAY.
It's not government. It’s not non-profits. It’s not high-tech. It's not multi-national corporations.
All play a role but we believe one of the biggest catalysts for change lies with the 30.2 million small businesses in the U.S. (99.9% of all businesses in America according to the U.S. Small Business Administration).
You see them in every neighborhood, find them near your home and work with them in your town and city.
Their owners live where they work. Their kids go to your schools. They participate in after school activities and attend community events.
You’ll find that some of these small enterprises have a distinguished quality about them.
They are benefit corporations. And they are legally bound to “making a positive impact on society and the environment in addition to earning a profit.”
These small businesses take a stand in their communities by paying a living wage to employees. Cleaning up litter in parks and rivers. Supporting fundraisers to help local social and environmental causes they believe in. Protesting peacefully for equity and diversity. Giving their employees time to volunteer for issues that matter.
We have seen all this up close and personal. As of this post, we’ve certified 58 businesses in 19 cities and from 5 states. We’ve spent over 100 hours learning about and talking with these small business owners during our benefit corporation certification process discussing questions about people, planet and profit.
With that said, we’ve crafted what we believe is the defining brand manifesto devoted to these small businesses with a conscience whose leaders commit to a greener, kinder, more equitable world:
So, to answer our earlier questions, finding hope in the world can be seen in many purpose-driven small businesses all over the planet. Adopting the triple bottom line for your organization is how you can help. And sharing this message with other small business owners in your community is where you can start to spark your own revolution.
~benefitcorporationsforgood.com~