B the Change Weekly: May 17, 2019
From California to Chicago to Boston — plus Haiti, India, Kenya and Uganda — examples abound of businesses and entrepreneurs breaking down barriers for employees and creating more equitable, inclusive workplaces.
We’ve rounded up their stories and shared them this week on B the Change, where you’ll find examples and inspiration from Certified B Corporations and other purpose-minded organizations using business as a force for good.
Building Entrepreneurial Opportunities for People of Color
In greater Chicago, most owners of manufacturing companies are white, close to retirement age, and in need of a succession plan. For Dan Swinney, founder of the nonprofit Manufacturing Renaissance, this challenge creates opportunity — especially for black, Latino and Latina entrepreneurs, who might be employees of the business or people interested in owning and running an existing company.
Small But Mighty B Corps Make Waves
You don’t have to be big to make a big difference: Several small-to-midsize businesses in the B Corp community are leading with innovative and transformative business practices. These thought leaders are applying their values to their business practices, walking the talk and starting a ripple that affects their entire business ecosystem.
We Need Big and Small Steps Toward Inclusion
With more than 70 summer camps throughout the Bay Area, Southern California, and Chicago, Galileo has a unique staffing setup: full-time, year-round employees; a seasonal team; and close to 3,000 summer staff members. During its first B Corp Inclusive Economy Challenge, the Galileo team learned that some changes could be made quickly while others were longer-term projects. But the B Corp was heartened to see how employees embraced the inclusion initiative.
See the large and small steps Galileo has made during its Inclusive Economy Challenge work.
Book of the Week
By Satish Kumar
Consumerism drives the pursuit of happiness in much of the world, yet as wealth grows unhappiness abounds, compounded by the grave problems of climate change, pollution, and ecological degradation. Elegant Simplicity is a life guide for everyone wanting off the relentless treadmill of competition and consumption and seeking a life that prioritizes the ecological integrity of the Earth, social equity, and personal tranquility and happiness.
B the Change gathers and shares the voices from within the movement of people using business as a force for good and the community of Certified B Corporations. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the nonprofit B Lab.
How Well Do You Treat Your Employees? was originally published in B the Change on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
