Question: What do brands Patagonia, Warby Parker, Etsy and Ben and Jerry’s all have in common?
Answer: They’re all Certified B Corporations!
B Corporations, or “B Corps,” voluntarily meet higher standards of transparency, accountability, and performance, and are certified by B Lab. Not only are B Corps meeting these rigorous standards, but they’re also trailblazing a better way to do business- one which uses the power that business holds to impact positive social and environmental change in the world!
Today, there is a growing community of more than 2,500 Certified B Corps from 50 countries and dozens of industries working together toward one unifying goal: redefining success in business. You can search BCorporation.net to find businesses that meet these standards, and by supporting them you’re supporting the greater good that they’re working toward.
It’s still very rare, however, for businesses to be considered B Corporations, and it takes a lot of work and a significant commitment to corporate responsibility in order to retain the honor. B Corps must meet standards in a variety of areas based on the impact of both the company’s day-to-day operations and its business model—both what they do and how they do it. From giving back to their local communities to maintaining “green” workspaces to policies on how employees are treated and business is conducted.
That’s why, here at Global Leadership Adventures, we’re incredibly proud to be part of Terra Education, a certified B-Corporation! In the field of student travel, we stand alone with this distinction, and it helps to illustrate our commitment to improving the communities we serve through sustainable, responsible business practices.
Jay Coen Gilbert, an entrepreneur on the team that founded B Lab, put it this way: “All B Corps are part of a global movement to redefine success in business, so companies are competing not to be best in the world but best for the world.”
Being a B corporation is obviously a huge honor. The fact that GLA is a B corporation and is the only student travel company that is one shows how amazing of an organization GLA is. They are, as Jay Gilbert said, the best for the world, not the world’s best. GLA is amazing in the way they work to improve the world around us. The service work is actual work that improves the community. It is evident when the work is done that a difference has been made by the student’s work. GLA is amazing because it is not just a business out there to be the most competitive and “best”, it is out there to be the best for the students and for the global community.