What is a benefit corporation?

A benefit corporation is a for-profit business that has made a legal commitment to more than just making money. It is a business structure, recognized by most U.S. states, that requires companies to consider how their business decisions affect people and the planet, not just their bottom line. In a traditional corporation, shareholders are typically prioritized. A benefit corporation legally requires consideration of employees, customers, community, and the environment in business decisions.

What is the difference between a B Corp and a benefit corporation?

A benefit corporation is a legal business structure, like an LLC or a sole proprietorship, created by filing paperwork with a state. A B Corp is a certification issued by the nonprofit B Lab after a review of a company's social and environmental practices. Benefit Corporations for Good certification is also a third-party certification, similar to B Corp, but built with small businesses in mind. BCFG is one of only four standards recognized by the Oregon Secretary of State and is the only one based in Oregon.

Why did we start Benefit Corporations for Good?

Benefit Corporations for Good was created because small businesses deserve a way to prove what they stand for. Many purpose-driven business owners are already doing right by their people and their community, but need a trusted and recognizable way to show it. BCFG was created as a certification that is meaningful enough to matter while being built for real small businesses, not only large companies with full-time sustainability teams.

Who is certification for?

Certification is for small businesses that care about their employees, their neighborhood, and the wider world they operate in. Certified businesses include law firms, solar companies, marketing agencies, wine bars, and other industries. Applicants do not need to be perfect, but they need to be serious about their commitment. The process includes a 60-question assessment across eight standards, followed by a short interview. For businesses with five or fewer full-time equivalent employees, the fee is $299.

When Businesses Build Community, Change Follows

Jul 28

Written By Tom Hering

I was running a quick errand this morning when a simple sign outside Morel Ink stopped me in my tracks.

With the Pride and U.S. flags in the background, the message felt even more powerful.

"Build community. Change the world."

Those five words capture something I believe deeply.

Real change rarely starts with one person. It starts when people come together around shared values, a common purpose, and a willingness to invest in one another.

That's especially true for small businesses. When purpose-driven businesses choose collaboration over competition, they don't just strengthen their local communities—they create momentum for meaningful change.

Community isn't built by chance. It's built through relationships, trust, and showing up for each other, day after day. And that is what our certified benefit corporations are all about.

Thank you, Morel Ink, for the reminder that building community is some of the most important work we can do. And when we do it together, changing the world doesn't feel quite so impossible.

~benefitcorporationsforgood.com~

Tom Hering

When Businesses Build Community, Change Follows

The 3 Pillars of Trust for a Purpose-Driven Business

What Is Mission Drift and How Does It Threaten Your Benefit Corporation?