Forces for Good

How are for-profit companies changing the way businesses operate to benefit people and the planet? What challenges do they face along the way? How is B Corp certification helping? Melanie Chow is the Vice President of Mission and Sustainability at Danone. When we sat down in Aspen, we had an honest conversation about how Danone is grap-pling with creating impact in an agricultural industry that demands innovation and effort.Danone North America is one of the world’s largest Certified B Corporations and we’ve partnered with them to bring you this live series from the Aspen Ideas Festival.Learn more about B Lab at www.bcorporation.netLearn more about Danone North America at Danonenorthamerica.com. Subscribe to our podcast. Rate and leave us a review.Produced by Hueman Group Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Driving positive impact for people and the planet takes collaboration, innovation, and inspiration. In this special series, B Lab’s Forces for Good is featuring live conversations from the 2023 Aspen Ideas Festival. In partnership with Danone North America, one of the largest Certified B Corporations, this podcast will share groundbreaking ideas and stories about putting purpose into action. From inclusive nutrition to reimagined models of leadership in business , learn about the solutions that help address some of the toughest societal and environmental challenges of our time.Join host Irving Chan Gomez (Growth and Partnerships at B Lab Global) as he interviews experts and leaders from some of the world’s most remarkable nonprofits and businesses attending this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival.  If you’ll be at the Aspen Ideas Festival, come say hi! We’ll be in the Danone tent in The Grove on June 28th and 29th. Even if you’re not heading to Aspen, look out for our special series coming soon!This series is produced by our Webby-winning partner, Hueman Group Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

B Corp Certification is a journey, not a destination. Making your business a Force for Good – and ensuring it stays that way – means constantly working to improve your practices. Whether or not they are part of the B Corp community, all businesses looking to improve their social and environmental impact can benefit from a continuous improvement mindset. The goal for every B Lab employee, non-profit leader, and business we’ve talked to on this podcast is not perfection. It’s focusing on learning, accountability, transparency, and a commitment to getting better all the time.  In this episode we answer:What is continuous improvement and why is it important?How can B Corps acknowledge mistakes and continue to improve even after certification?What is the B Impact Assessment and how can it help your business become a force for good?Guests include:Femme van Gils, Sustainability Manager, Ace and Tate (article)Kaye Matereke, Senior Partner, Lighthouse Capital and Member, B Lab Standards Advisory CouncilChris Marquis, Professor, University of Cambridge and Author, Better Business: How the B Corp Movement is Remaking Capitalism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So much of what makes up a ‘good’ business is external. They promote the positive impact of goods and services to customers, they put out PR statements about their purpose, and they make commitments that shareholders and customers call for.But what about the people who make a company run? In this episode we answer:How can companies ensure that workers are satisfied and share their sense of purpose?How can businesses give employees opportunities to learn and grow? What is the best way for businesses to get and implement feedback from workers? Guests include:Bernard Gouw, Senior Manager Social Standards, B LabDouglas English, Founder and CTO, Culture AmpMoniek Tersmette, Business Humanizer and Founding Partner, Innate MotionJasmine Huang Qian, Cultural Decoder and Business Humanizer, Innate Motion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Businesses are usually seen as competitors but, in order to solve the crisis facing our planet they need to work together, collaboratively and collectively. In this episode we answer:What does collective action really mean?How are coalitions built within industries and among businesses with similar goals for sustainability, social change, and more? What are the advantages — and challenges — of taking action as a collective?Guests include:Shaun Russell, Founder, SkandinaviskManjyot Ahluwalia, Regional Director Asia, The Global Methane Hub, formerly Senior Program Officer, World Wildlife FundAmy Clarke, Co-Founder and Chief Impact Office, Tribe Impact Capital Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our current economic system is built on a history of injustice, inequity, violence, and oppression. But businesses do have options to build more inclusive workplaces. On the show, we speak with businesses (both large and small) that are attempting to disrupt legacies of oppression.  In this episode we answer:What can companies do to dismantle these conditions of violence and oppression in their business practices?How can business standards drive our economy towards a system that is more equitable, inclusive, and just? What is the significance of SDG10, Reduced Inequalities, in working towards a just and anti-racist world for all workers?Guests include: Ellonda Williams, Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, B Lab GlobalAna Luiza Herzog, Reputation Manager, Magazine Luiza [Magalu] Laura Thompson, CEO & Co-Founder, Clothing The GapsSarah Sheridan, Deputy CEO & Co-Founder, Clothing the Gaps Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sustainable food and agricultural systems are critical to human wellbeing and the health of our planet. Yet, environmental degradation, climate change, hunger, poverty, economic inequality, and the impacts of war all contribute to a complex of interconnected challenges that put our foodways in crisis. How can business be driven to make decisions that mitigate food waste and loss, fight hunger, and address the growing threats of climate change? In this episode we answer:What aspects of business practices intersect with foodways? (I.e., supply chains, food waste, packaging, plant based vs animal products) What are the positive climate impacts of business working toward sustainable foodways?How can consumers discern which products are ethically and sustainably sourced?Guests include:Julie-Anne Finan, Manager of Multinational Standards and Certifications, B Lab GlobalStephanie de Heer,  Vice President Marketing & Communications, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, formerly Global Director, Marketing and Communications, Rainforest AllianceCeline Barral, Chief Sustainability Officer and Corporate Communication, Bonduelle Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's not a worker alive today who does not want to be paid fairly for their labor. But what is a fair, living wage? In this episode, we speak to experts who help us understand the difference between a minimum and a living wage, dig into profiles of workers and industries that are at the greatest risk of falling below a living wage standard, and showcase businesses that are working to ensure every worker — throughout their entire supply chain — is fairly and ethically compensated. "Living Wage" features experts from B Lab, Fairtrade International, and SOKO, a women-led, people-first ethical jewelry brand, connecting artisans in Kenya with the global market. In this episode we answer:What constitutes a living wage?Who is most impacted by wage gaps?How can businesses provide a living wage across the global supply chain?Guests include: Joanne Calabrese, CEO, Soko Wilbert Flinterman, Senior Advisor, Workers’ Rights and Trade Union Relations for Fairtrade InternationalBernard Gouw, Senior Manager of Social Standards, B Lab Global Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can businesses take part in movements for social and environmental justice? It might seem like a strange question — business is a core driver of negative impacts, from economic inequality to environmental extraction. Yet by examining their practices and changing for the better — and advocating for peers to do the same — businesses can unlock enormous potential for positive change. Activism has a place in corporate boardrooms, and businesses can enable activist work both among their employees and in their actions at a corporate level. In this episode we answer: What does it mean to be a business activist — or an activist business? How can business activism help companies envision and work toward what is truly needed to improve life for all people and the planet? How is business activism tied to collective action in the business community, and how can they complement each other?  Guests include: Amanda Gordon, Chief Customer Officer, Future SuperCharmian Love, Co-Founder, B Lab UK; Global Director of Advocacy, Natura & Co. Pavithra Ram, Impact Navigator, Tony’s Chocolonely Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate crisis is not a looming threat — it’s already here.  Catastrophic extreme weather events are on the rise, and they’re taking a devastating toll around the world. Businesses are one of the biggest contributors to the crisis — and yet they are also among the most important players in finding solutions.  In this episode, we dive into the science-backed targets that a growing community of business leaders are committed to achieving as early as 2030. Our colleagues share evidence-based actions and tools that ensure businesses can adhere to the highest standards of environmental responsibility, and we hear from a producer’s advocate who is pushing for more immediate recognition and response to the impact the crisis has on farmers and workers around the globe.  In this episode we answer: What role do businesses play in driving the climate crisis?  What tactical steps can businesses take to be a part of climate solutions?Why should social justice be at the center of climate action? Guests include: Kubasu Agapeters, Operations Manager at Fairtrade Africa Veena Harbaugh, Director of Sustainability at SendleBrigitta Nemes, Senior Manager of Environmental Standards at B Lab Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you noticed an influx of products marketed as sustainable, eco-friendly, or recycled? You're not alone. As the global climate emergency accelerates and consumer awareness grows, businesses are increasingly leveraging green marketing to reach conscientious customers. But not all marketing is created equal. On the show, experts explain the problem of "greenwashing," when marketing is designed to make consumers believe a business is doing more for the environment than they really are. We also talk about how to spot greenwashing and learn from companies that are telling transparent stories about their environmental footprint. In this episode we answer:What is the difference between green marketing and greenwashing?How have businesses and the advertising sector misled consumers about their environmental responsibility?How can these same players combat greenwashing?How can consumer awareness combat greenwashing? In this episode, we discuss Patagonia as an exemplary B Corp. At the time of recording, Patagonia had not yet made their groundbreaking announcement transferring ownership to the Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective, where every dollar not reinvested into Patagonia will be distributed as dividends to protect the planet. Patagonia’s unprecedented decision drives home the value of business taking concrete action to be a force for good. Guests include: Maria Correa, Head of Marketing and Communications at B Lab EuropeLuke Purdy, Director of Social Impact & Group Account Director at Wieden + Kennedy Sharoni Rosenberg Amszynowski, author of “WTF is Purpose” and Executive Director at the PwC Chile Foundation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Purpose-driven company.” You've likely heard these words, but what does it actually mean for a company to act with purpose? In the inaugural episode of B Lab’s original podcast, “Forces for Good,” we tackle how growing social and environmental conscientiousness in the business community has led many companies to rethink their mission and become increasingly accountable for impact beyond return on investment for shareholders—including how their processes and output affect workers, customers, communities, and the environment. In this episode we answer: What does it mean for a business to “act with purpose?”What mechanisms do successful purpose-driven companies use?How do we move beyond buzzwords to create an economy that acts in accordance with stakeholder governance? Guests include: Gail Bradbrook, Founder, Extinction Rebellion  Anthea Kelsick, Former Co-CEO, B Lab U.S. & Canada; Senior Advisor, Novata Dan Osusky, Head of Standards & Insights, B Lab Global Alain Sylvain, Co-founder and CEO, SYLVAINLearn more about B Lab at www.bcorporation.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forces for Good, a new podcast that tells the story of economic systems change through the lens of the B Corp movement. Our show takes a hard look at how businesses are solving the biggest societal and environmental problems of our time. This season, we dive deep into topics including: the purpose industrial complex, how to spot greenwashing, what it means to be an activist business, and how companies can learn from their mistakes and continuously improve.In each episode, host Irving Chan-Gomez (Growth & Partnerships at B Lab Global) speaks with entrepreneurs and experts on what companies are doing to move beyond buzzwords, change destructive practices across industries, and drive positive impact for people and the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.