Today, the environment is in desparate need of help from business. We suggest small business is not only the best way to create a low carbon footprint world, but it's the fastest way to building a sustainable planet. And it all starts with the benefit corporation and its Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet and Profit.

Listen to our 28-minute sustainability webinar given to the 2020 "Go Clean Energy" conference sponsored by Descuttes350.org.

You will learn:

• Why small business efforts make a difference in the bigger corporate world⁉️

• Why small businesses committed to equity and sustainability are profitable⁉️

In the last few years, there has been a massive push for companies of all sizes to engage in different sustainability efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. With climate change and natural disasters at an all-time high, it has never been more important for businesses to analyze their practices and truly understand how much waste they may be producing.

While some have been implementing these programs for years, other companies are just getting started! If you are looking for green practices that your small business can easily adopt, look no further.

Regardless of whether it is in relation to your employees, customers, partners or even engaging with the community, it is important that you are open and honest about your business’s purpose and performance. Business transparency is extremely important because it is the main way to instill trust with your employees and customers. By being honest about your operations, vision and your business practices you can boost sales, increase your customer retention and loyalty and reduce your employee turnover! In fact, 85% of people are more likely to stick by a business during a brand crisis if it has a history of being transparent and authentic.

If you’re in the custom liquid formulation business, you know your tasks are varied. Such is the case with Yellow Emperor of Eugene, Oregon. From custom vitamin formulation and liquid dietary supplement manufacturing to organic supplement private labeling and nutraceutical products manufacturing, their menu of services can accommodate a multitude of custom manufacturing needs.

But not all responsibilities fall under manufacturing. Last year, the business felt the time was right to show that their stakeholders that Yellow Emperor was in business as a force for good. So they decided to certify their beliefs and practices of serving People, Planet and Profit by becoming a Benefit Corporation for Good.

Perhaps you’ve made the decision to partner with a local organization to distribute leftover food to homeless shelters. Or maybe you want to incorporate sustainable packaging for your product. There is much you can do to help a cause. You might have even considered becoming a Benefit Corporation at some point.

But how do you know your organization is ready to take the plunge?

Charlotte Chipperfield and her award-winning marketing consulting firm know how challenging it can be to get your message heard in an information-overloaded world. She helps conscious business leaders and companies integrate an intentional and sustainable marketing framework that saves time, energy, and money to be seen and heard in the digital space. That sustainability carries…

The demand for sustainable practices within businesses has seen intense growth in the last few years. From sourcing materials to production quantities and packaging, sustainability takes many forms. As more companies pledge efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, you may find you are unsure how to incorporate such policies in your own organization or if it’s worth pursuing.

With community banks few and far between in this merger era of financial institutions, Pacific West Bank found itself joining a different group of companies. These forward-thinking businesses are all aligned in their belief of doing business for the greater good. That's why the bank decided to become an Oregon Benefit Company.

Recently the team felt the time was right to certify their beliefs and practices of serving People, Planet and Profit by becoming a Benefit Corporation for Good.

Climate change is a glaring issue. Individuals are trying to find ways to do their part to help the environment, but what about businesses? Since a business has a considerably large carbon footprint, it should take into consideration its impact on the environment.

To further explore the topic, we asked 9 thought leaders to share their thoughts on why businesses should care about sustainability.

See what they have to say about it, below.

Right now humanity is a little shaken up. Even though we can’t come together physically, we can support one another from a distance.

To find inspiration we asked 13 small businesses, “What's the best way for a business to make a powerful impact on the world?”

Here’s what they have to say.

Founded in 1978, Organically Grown Company has been a pioneer in sustainable, organic agriculture for over 40 years. From its roots as a nonprofit started by activists, OGC has grown into one of the largest independent organic produce distributors in the US. Along the way, they have evolved and iterated their ownership structure to continually deepen their mission and multi-stakeholder approach, a journey which took them from nonprofit to farmers’ cooperative, and later to an S-Corp with an employee stock ownership plan.

But a few years ago, the company was faced with a common business challenge: how does a mission-based company scale and create liquidity for its founders and employee-owners without selling or going public?