Giving Compass' Take:

• B The Change profiles five B Corps that have exemplary models of corporate activism that focus on enhancing people's quality of life by creating healthier environments. 

• Are there opportunities for donors and B Corps to address social challenges collaboratively? 

• Read about how to think creatively about social activism. 

Building social benefit through business is not revolutionary for B Corps, which embed that value into their operations. But some B Corps step up to bigger social challenges that can create broader change by speaking out and advocating for policy changes.

We found five B Corps that are focusing on corporate activism to create healthier environments and provide for a better future for people and planet — and create strong ties between the companies and their communities.

  1. Fors Marsh Group In 2017 Fors Marsh Group (FMG) joined forces with WPP, a global leader in advertising and marketing services, and iHeartMedia, a multimedia company, to form the National Opioid Action Coalition (NOAC). NOAC’s mission is to employ leading research and behavior change communications techniques to provoke engagement and action among target audiences, particularly in the private sector.
  2. Stonyfield Already aware of the impact of pesticides in agriculture, Stonyfield turned to other often ignored sources of pesticide exposure and found that more than 26 million U.S. kids play sports on fields, and 65% of fields are sprayed with pesticides that have been linked to cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and thyroid and endocrine disruption.
  3. PRANA Montreal-based PRANA was started in 2005 by an adventurous Canadian couple who wanted to have a positive impact on the global food system.
  4. Beautycounter When Gregg Renfrew founded B Corp Beautycounter — which sells nontoxic beauty products online, in retail stores and through a network of consultants — she had a vision of making each salesperson an advocate for making the industry safer and better.
  5. UnCommonGoods This founding B Corp offers designs that support an important cause and works with fellow values-driven vendors, all while striving to give customers opportunities to do more good.

Read the full article about corporate activism at B the Change.