The B Corp Handbook

The B Corp Handbook

by Ryan Honeyman, Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan, Andrew Kassoy
Released October 2014
Publisher(s): Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 9781626560451

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Book description

Join a Growing movement: Learn how you can join a fast-growing global movement to redefine success in business—led by well-known icons like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s as well as disruptive upstarts like Warby Parker and Etsy—recently covered by the New York Times, the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Inc.

Build a better business: Drawing on best practices from 100+ B Corps, this book shows that using business as a force for good can help distinguish your company in a crowded market, attract and retain the best employees, and increase customer trust, loyalty, and evangelism for your brand.

More than 1,000 companies from 80 industries and 30 countries are leading a global movement to redefine success in business. They’re called B Corporations—B Corps for short—and these businesses create high-quality jobs, help build stronger communities, and restore the environment, all while generating solid financial returns. Author and B Corp owner Ryan Honeyman worked closely with over 100 B Corp CEOs and senior executives to share their tips, advice, and best-practice ideas for how to build a better business and how to meet the rigorous standards for—and enjoy the benefits of—B Corp certification.

This book makes the business case for improving your social and environmental performance and offers a step-by-step “quick start guide” on how your company can join an innovative and rapidly expanding community of businesses that want to make money and make a difference.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. B Corps in Their Own Words
  7. Foreword
  8. Introduction
  9. A Note about Certified B Corporations and Benefit Corporations
  10. 1 Overview
    1. Using Business as a Force for Good Is Good for Business
    2. A Brief History: From AND 1 to B Corps
    3. The Search for “What’s Next?”
    4. B Corps: The Quick and Dirty
    5. Why B Corps Matter
  11. 2 Ten Benefits of Becoming a B Corp
    1. Typical Outcomes for You and Your Business
      1. Being Part of a Community of Leaders with Shared Values
      2. Attracting Talent and Engaging Employees
      3. Increasing Credibility and Building Trust
      4. Generating Press
      5. Benchmarking and Improving Performance
      6. Attracting Investors
      7. Protecting a Company’s Mission for the Long Term
      8. Building Collective Voice
      9. Saving Money
      10. Leading a Global Movement
  12. 3 The B Impact Assessment
    1. How to Use Business as a Force for Good
    2. Good for Workers
    3. Quick Assessment of Worker Impact
    4. Reflections and Next Steps
    5. Good for the Community
    6. Quick Assessment of Community Impact
    7. Reflections and Next Steps
    8. Good for the Environment
    9. Quick Assessment of Environmental Impact
    10. Reflections and Next Steps
    11. Good for the Long Term
    12. Quick Assessment of Long-Term Impact
    13. Reflections and Next Steps
    14. Good to the Core
    15. Quick Assessment of Core Impact
    16. Reflections and Next Steps
  13. 4 The Quick Start Guide
    1. Getting Started
      1. Week 1: Get a Baseline
      2. Week 2: Engage Your Team
      3. Week 3: Create a Plan
      4. Week 4: Implement
      5. Week 5: Fine-Tune
      6. Week 6: Celebrate and Next Steps
  14. 5 Conclusion
    1. One Goal, Many Paths
    2. What Does Success for the B Corp Movement Look Like?
  15. Appendix: Certified B Corporations and Benefit Corporations
  16. Notes
  17. Resources: The B Corp Resource List
  18. Acknowledgments
  19. Index
  20. Photo Credits
  21. About the Nonprofit Behind B Corps
  22. About the Author

Product information

  • Title: The B Corp Handbook
  • Author(s): Ryan Honeyman, Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan, Andrew Kassoy
  • Release date: October 2014
  • Publisher(s): Berrett-Koehler Publishers
  • ISBN: 9781626560451