And so the adventure began.

Five years ago on April 1, Benefit Corporations for Good was born. It was sparked by the book Mary Anne Harmer and I wrote Putting Soul Into Business: How the Benefit Corporation is Transforming American Business for Good. And the 11 thought leaders interviewed for the book provided the fuel for our fire.

Now 77 small businesses, 8 states, and 1 Canadian province later…

Creating a sustainable future by providing clean, renewable energy is the mission of Advanced Solar Products. The solar developer and EPC has been delivering on that mission for over three decades primarily in New Jersey, New York, and New England.

But ASP wanted to do more. It’s why they chose to become a certified Benefit Corporation for Good. Using a third-party standard helps keep ASP not only accountable but sets an example for other companies in their region to motivate and inspire them to also adopt a triple bottom line and do good for people and planet.

From looking at everything with an equity lens to re-designing products with waste minimization in mind, here are 11 answers to the question, "What important actions has your business taken to show its commitment to social impact?”

• Make Equity a Foundational and Important Action Step

• Be Honest About the Social Issues You're Up Against

• Have an Honest Conversation About Who You’re Surrounded by

• Invest in the Well-being of Your Team

Do you know the critical information people are looking for on your website? Is it a strong value proposition? Is it a solid “about us” page? Is it social proof about your product or service claims?

All are important for sure.

But we’ve discovered that after working with dozens of small purpose-driven businesses over the past 5 years, three critical content pieces for stakeholders are absent from most purpose-driven small business websites.

Never is the quote "the sum of  the parts is greater than the whole" more underscored than when a community comes together. When it dares to ask questions about what it cares most about. Why it matters. And how it can help move forward together for the greater good. 

If you want to know what a Happy Hour for Good (HHFG) is all about, you’re in luck. It’s a quarterly gathering of our triple bottom line leaders and friends who are connecting, learning and laughing.

Our most recent HHFG was held in downtown Portland at Pacific West Bank, a certified BCFG. We held a group discussion about what of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals should we focus on and try to move forward as a community. We will be debriefing in the next month to choose one or two to support as a group.

Food Waste is a major contributor to carbon emissions globally. In fact, it is ranked the fourth highest priority solution by Project Drawdown for tackling the climate crisis.  Shockingly, nearly 40% of all food produced each year is lost or spoiled before it is able to be consumed. Solving the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted globally could end world hunger and feed up to 3 billion people each year. 

From growing awareness to setting ambitious goals, here are 13 answers to the question, "What are the best strategies you use to demonstrate servant leadership?"

• Gather and Spread Awareness

• Put Your Team First

• Lead by Example

• Offer Opportunities to Grow

• Practice Active Listening

• Prioritize Mental Health

• Stay Connected With Your Intentions

• Seek Opportunities to Empower

• Focus on Empathy

• Ask, “How Can I Help You?”

• Listen and React to Your Employees

• Take Responsibility for Employees' Mistakes

• Set Ambitious Goals

Creating a triple bottom line company is one thing. But keeping those values alive long after the founders have left is something else again. It’s one of the reasons why clean energy engineering firm Burch Energy became a certified Benefit Corporation for Good.

As this holiday season enters and 2022 winds down, I carry with me one dominating thought. It's not tied to politics, economics or sports. 

Rather it's all about service. Make that "being of service."

You see, helping others by volunteering, mentoring or simply listening without judgment provides the greatest joy I receive in life. It's priceless to give something with nothing expected in return.

From focusing on restorative actions to partnering with other local businesses, here are 11 answers to the question, "What advice do you have that shows how your small business is committed to sustainability?"

You can't be Switzerland anymore.

If you're in business and you want to show your customers that your product is worth their time and money, you and your business must stand up for something.

And there is no shortage of contemporary issues.

Do you know why a language solutions company becomes a certified Benefit Corporation for Good? Here's the answer from William Tongsiri, founder and leader of PASA Language Solutions.

Do you know why a video production company becomes a certified Benefit Corporation for Good? Here's the answer from Erik Croswell, founder and leader of Bridge City Media.

Do you know why a bank becomes a certified Benefit Corporation for Good? Here's the answer from Lisa Fajardo Faust, senior VP at Pacific West Bank.

When a business becomes a purpose-driven business, there's a big shift in its thinking and acting. Businesses change from thinking “how much profit can I make” to “how much good can I do while still making a profit.”

Now I know it’s a big shift. But the research supports small businesses making this shift as employees and consumer are wanting more, make that demanding more, from businesses.