Described as the business organization for the 21st century with the “M.O.” of using business as a force of good, there has never been a better time than now for a startup to incorporate as a B Corp. Companies like Patagonia, Method, Warby Parker, and Good Worldwide are just a few businesses leading the pack as B Corps, some of which are already revolutionary for being the first to incorporate as this entity in their states.
As Rose Marcario, CEO of Patagonia, so succinctly puts it, the B Corp movement matters because business is more than just serving shareholders. “[Business] has an equal responsibility to the community and to the planet.”
However, despite the fact that more than 30,000 businesses are certified B Corps and over 20 states have passed benefit corporation legislation, the buzz around B Corps is still more underground than your average legal entity. The stakes are also higher as B Corps are held to a higher standard—you need to meet a performance requirement in order to file as one—which can easily intimidate entrepreneurs.
But don’t let this scare you away! With so many successful companies committed to doing good, let’s take a page from their books to see how established brands are redefining small business success as B Corps.
Ever wonder what happens with the “one-for-one” business model where making a purchase from a socially conscious company means a donation of that item will be made to a person in need? Free Enterprise conducted a study that revealed this model is actually a booming success. B Corps like Warby Parker have donated 2 million pairs of glasses, and Better World Books has provided children throughout the world with more than 20 million books to read and enjoy.
While these are exceptionally high numbers, remember that none of this happened overnight. The commitment that B Corps have towards changing the world, though mighty, is more often than not made in small steps. Committing to giving back remains the heart and soul of a B Corp and it is that attitude that allows B Corps to thrive passionately.
Anyone who works for a small business can tell you that a positive attitude and willingness to wear lots of different hats will take you far. Who wouldn’t want to work for a company dedicated to creating a positive social impact? This same attitude also attracts investors.
As B Corporation explains, social investors are looking to invest in companies that achieve a high social impact, command higher valuations, and are structured to maintain their mission after the next financing or IPO. In turn, B Corp entrepreneurs seeking mission-aligned capital also want to achieve a greater impact, command higher valuations (which comes fairly easily since they are so trusted by consumers), and build companies with integrity.
While this pairing seems like a win-win all around, the acquisition of any business, even a mission-driven one, means the brand equity remains at risk. Everyone involved, from consumers to employees, will wonder how much a B Corp will remain true to its mission after the sale. Luckily, as B Corporation notes, a B Corp that opts to become certified and maintains its certification after the transaction helps to minimize any brand risk.
Do we really need the many things we are told we should buy? For decades, marketing and advertising campaigns have driven purchasing decisions by encouraging consumers to buy what is “cool” or “new” right now, but kept details such as where the item is made and what it is made out of under wraps. As consumers have become more conscious of their spending habits, they are choosing to buy what will better their lives—the perfect time for a B Corp to shine!
One B Corp at a time, the marketing conversation is being revamped for the better. Anne Boyle, Partner and Director of Strategy at RoundPeg, shared in The Huffington Post that ever since her company became a certified B Corp, it has strengthened its commitment to the world and has also inspired its own team. Knowledge is power and marketing is moving away from encouraging a superficial society. Or, as Boyle puts it, “… [it’s] the exact tool needed to make the good choice the easy choice.”
Ultimately, as more states pass legislation, more businesses choose to file as this entity, and more positive word of mouth grows, the less the B Corp movement stops being a novelty and becomes the norm in society. The beauty of the B Corp is that there are no sacrifices in forming one. You get to run the business of your dreams, earn a profit, and better the world along the way.
If you’re still asking yourself, “Why B Corp?” you might already know the answer.
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JINS, one of the biggest eyewear brands in Japan, commissioned Schemata Architects to design the renewal of their Ageo shop on the occasion of its 12th anniversary. The existing shop consists of two L-shaped blocks, respectively an eyewear shop and a cafe, positioned around a square courtyard surrounded by an open corridor serving as a cozy outdoor cafe space. However, the existing building was clad in wooden panels and the courtyard and the cafe were hidden from the street.
We removed the exterior walls and installed Low-E paired glass to initiate the view towards the beautiful courtyard from the street, while creating an impressive display of their extensive eyewear products highly visible from the street at the same time.
The interior design was intended to emphasize the effect of exposing the skeleton of the building. New interior walls are offset from the original wall lines, finished with brick tiles usually used for exterior finishes; shelves and display furniture are designed as independent elements detached from the building. Eyewear products vary in shapes and colors, and we collaborated with the graphic design office KIGI to introduce visual elements in the shop so that the products and the space can relate to each other in a free and independent way.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) has released an online archive of over 3,500 of the museum’s past exhibitions from its founding in 1929 to today. Free and available to the public, the database contains photographs, press releases, checklists, catalogues and lists of featured artists.
The archive contains 660 entries tagged under “architecture” and includes some of architectural history’s greatest exhibitions: the Modern Architecture International Exhibition by Philip Johnson and Henry-Russell Hitchcock in 1932; Herbert Bayer’s exhibition Bauhaus 1919-1928 in 1938; Thresholds/O.M.A. at MoMA: Rem Koolhaas and the Place of Public Architecture in 1994; and, most recently, A Japanese Constellation: Toyo Ito, SANAA, and Beyond, which wrapped up its run this past July.
The release is the product of a massive undertaking by museum staff to digitize past archives. Many of the pages contain links to related publications or preserved websites dedicated to individual exhibitions. A easy-to-use menu bar allows users to search directly for keywords or refine their search based on exhibition type and year.
The database will be continuously updated as new exhibitions are held, meaning architecture lovers will have the opportunity to check out next year’s Frank Lloyd Wright retrospective, even if they are unable to make a trip to MoMA in person.
Check out the online archive for yourself, here.
Painted Ladies – San Francisco – California – USA (by worldaroundtrip)
Sig Nordal 