Since our first year as a certified B Corporation back in 2018, AdVic® has released an annual impact report to share our environmental and social performance with our stakeholders. And whereas traditional annual reports focus on revenue related metrics, our impact reports aim to share the key performance indicators (KPIs) we’ve chosen to track the good we’re putting into the world. 

While we didn’t hit every goal for our 2022 Impact Report, we did hit a majority of them (and came close on those we missed). Here are some of the highlights: 

• Volunteering 1% of Revenue: Each year, as part of our Pledge 1% commitment, we set a goal to donate 1% of revenue in the form of volunteer time off. In 2022, our team volunteered over 1,550 hours, which amounted to 1.4% of our revenue. 
• 75% Employee Volunteer Engagement: While we missed this goal, our 71% participation rate was a 10% increase from last year. 
• Carbon Neutral: We once again achieved carbon neutrality (through the purchase of carbon credits from We Are Neutral) for our 144 tons of CO2 from our scopes 1, 2, & 3 emissions. 

We invite you to take a few minutes to look through our 2022 Impact Report (click the image below) and join us in celebrating our accomplishments, acknowledging where there is still work to be done, and committing to continuing the journey to being a company that uses business as a force for good. And if you have any questions about AdVic, B Corps, or the 2022 Impact Report, reach us here.

And lastly, as we now focus on 2023, we’re excited to set ambitious goals for our business once again, both on and off the “accounting” books. We not only believe that doing the right thing is good for our business, our customers, and our team, but that it is important simply because it is the responsible, right thing to do.  

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The post Honoring Our Commitment to Our Stakeholders: AdVic’s 2022 Impact Report appeared first on Ad Victoriam Solutions.

The Daily Agenda

For Ad Victoriam, the conference started on Monday, September 16, with the B Local Summit.

AdVic’s Director of Culture and the Chair of B Local Georgia, Nathan Stuck, spent the day with B Local leaders and community organizers from across the country. They shared strategies to build local organizations and the B Corp movement as a whole. From the more established chapters like Portland to the newer chapters like B Corp Local in Georgia, discussions centered on synergies and opportunities for collaboration.

After an incredible opening reception on Monday evening, the conference kicked into full swing on Tuesday. With a focus on building a regenerative and inclusive economy, attendees heard from Patagonia CEO Rose Marcurio, who spoke on the need for B Corps, and businesses in general, to lead by example and not accept “business as usual.” Breakout sessions focused on networking and creating a more inclusive economy, one that works for everyone.

On Wednesday morning, Ad Victoriam’s Stuck was elated to be called on stage to receive a Collective Action award with other B Local leaders from across the country. The award recognizes significant efforts to lead the movement, raise awareness, and promote growth.

Later on Wednesday, attendees were treated to an incredible session with Bart Houlahan, co-founder of B Lab, and Deval Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts and the newest B Lab board member. There was also an incredible breakout session focused on recertification, which AdVic will have to start working on in mid-2020.

Making the Pledge

AdVic’s proudest moment of the Champions Retreat was taking the Pledge to Build the B Economy from Within. With this signature, we pledged to:

– Support the B Corp community
– Speed up the building of an inclusive and sustainable economy
– Truly use business as a force for good
– Share knowledge with our fellow B Corps
– Align our purchases with our values
– Consider B Corps first when making decisions
– Promoting B Corps to our employees and networks

This trek to Los Angeles was an intense three days of meeting some of the most inspiring people. These people are being the change they want to see in the world. We can hardly wait until 2020’s Champions Retreat!

But until then, we are committed to advancing to the next level. We’re striving to ensure that purpose is intertwined with profit and businesses to serve both our employees and communities.

About B Corp
B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today, Ad Victoriam Solutions, along with the more than 3,000 other B Corps around the globe, is working toward one unifying goal — to redefine success in business.

So, would you like to learn more about how your company can become a certified B Corp? AdVic’s recent three-part blog series has all the information you need to succeed: Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3. You may also find this recent AdVic B Corp/Corporate Social Responsibility webinar helpful, too. If you have any questions, contact us here.

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No longer does the economic philosophy of Milton Friedman, to serve fiscal shareholders above all else, dominate the landscape. Customers and employees are demanding that the corporate world serve all stakeholders, including their employees, communities, and the environment. The number of companies listening is increasing. They have begun incorporating CSR initiatives into their day-to-day business operations. But with everyone doing it, how can you make your company stand out and work towards becoming a “gold standard of CSR?”

The answer is simple, join Ad Victoriam Solutions, a Georgia-based Salesforce Consultant, and have your company certified as a B Corp.

B Corps are for-profit businesses that have a proven (and certified) commitment to serving all stakeholders. They use business as a force for good, ensuring fair pay and benefits to a diverse and inclusive workforce. They also promise to be good stewards of the environment. That means they are actively serving in their communities, and believing purpose and profit can harmoniously coexist.

However, the process isn’t easy, but as the saying goes, if it was then everyone would be doing it. But it is worth going after. In the first of our three-part series, we’re focusing on five reasons your business should consider B Corp certification.

1. The Gold Standard of CSR: A True Differentiator

In a workforce and consumer base increasingly dominated by millennials, people are demanding more than just profit from the companies they buy from and work for. Consumers and potential employees are more likely to sniff out blatant “greenwashing.” Defined by Investopedia, “greenwashing” is “an attempt to capitalize on the growing demand for products that are environmentally sound.” Meaning “they are more natural, healthier, free of chemicals, recyclable, or less wasteful of natural resources.”

But with B Corps, the research and investigation into the legitimacy of a company’s claims have already been performed. After the company completes the B Impact Assessment (BIA), on which a company must score 80 out of a possible 200 points, B Lab, the nonprofit accreditation body that certifies B Corps, performs an audit of a company. The handbook and its policies are reviewed, numbers are verified, and many times, an on-site audit is performed. Succinctly put, B Corp certification is to for-profit business as Fair-Trade is to coffee or certified organic is to milk. The B logo is seen as a stamp of legitimacy on your CSR efforts.

2. Raising Capital

An often overlooked feature of B Corp certification is the ability to seek out investments in your business. According to Forbes, “The Global Impact Investing Network’s most recent estimate for the minimum size of the impact investment market doubled to $228 billion in assets under management, up from $114 billion in 2017.” More and more investors are looking to diversify their portfolios beyond industry. They want to include companies with environmental and social goals, following global standards like the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

As investors scramble to find investment opportunities that align with their personal values, “B Corps may attract capital better than non-b-businesses,” according to an article in Fast Company. In the article, Abi Barnes, the author of “An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Going B,” published by the Yale Center for Business and the Environment, alluded to the B Corps’ ability to differentiate themselves to attract these investments. He stated that “in an era of ‘greenwashing’ and misleading labels, certified B Corporations and benefit corporations help consumers identify trustworthy companies.”

Read to the bottom and then sign up for our complimentary webinar that will review everything you need to know about becoming a B Corp.

3. Mission Lock

One of the biggest benefits of B Corp certification for a growing company is the ability to lock in your mission. When Ad Victoriam Solutions went through the assessment, we only had eight employees. We had to implement a lot of new policies and practices. More importantly, we had to envision what we wanted our company to look like as it grew. Fast forward three years and we have almost 70 employees and our vision is our reality. The mission and purpose are now baked into the DNA of our organization.

When we make strategic decisions, our status as a B Corp influences our direction. Whether it is how we recruit employees to ensure a diverse candidate pool or deciding on whether we want to take on a new client based on their mission and values, our certification weighs heavily on everything we do. And knowing that B Lab requires member companies to re-certify every three years ensures we are always thinking of a decision’s impact on everyone.

The truth is, not just focusing on the bottom line has been good for business. Since Ad Victoriam started the process three years ago, we have doubled our revenue every year.

4. Best Practices, Industry Standards, and Benchmarks for Improvement

An unexpected byproduct of B Corp certification is the inspiration from the B Community to always strive for more. There will always be another B Corp doing more than you for their employees, the environment, and their community. Allowing these companies to inspire you to deepen your commitment opens the door to becoming an even better corporate citizen. Being open to measuring your company’s performance to that of others allows you to identify areas for improvement.

In an interview with Forbes, Barnana CEO Nik Ingersöll stated, “Being a B Corp has solidified our commitment to the way we run our business. They also have an amazing framework that has given us more ideas on how to become even more sustainable. It has given me a path to constant and continued improvement.”

And in an article from the Harvard Business Review, “It Pays to Become a B Corporation,” Richard Stammer, VP of B Corp Cabot Creamery, highlights the use of benchmarking to achieve operational cost savings as well as to recruit and retain employees. Stammer also points to Patagonia, who “report[ed] that certification helps promote and validate its employee-centric culture, which attracts great candidates because of the company’s reputation as a great place to work. Since becoming a B Corp, Patagonia expanded the medical, military, and paid maternity and paternity leave for regular full- and part-time U.S. employees.”

5. Walk the Walk

On top of everything, you are signaling to the marketplace that your mission is sincere and genuine. It helps potential customers and employees more easily sift through the noise and find companies that truly believe in CSR.

B Corp Certification isn’t a pledge or a commitment to simply do better. It is the etching of your mission and your beliefs in stone. As such, it requires time and commitment to achieving. But in the end, it is worth it.

In Part 2 of this series, we focus on tackling the BIA and getting your company B Corp certified. We’ll share common hurdles, best practices, and aids to get help get you there!

Meanwhile, watch our webinar on everything you need to know about becoming a B Corp.

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