Getting closer to B Corp submission!
Teamwork makes the dream work
We have a saying at iBec that defines what we do and what we love: Teamwork makes the dream work. This has never been so true as we tackle the B Corp Certification process, and it’s been so rewarding to have a few other minds to unpack these complicated (and slightly daunting) questions.
The B Corp team at iBec was voluntary to join – and it’s myself (Becky McKinnell, president), Matt Belair (vice president), Jesse Plate (lead strategist), and Jen MacLeod (office manager) working together – representing a cohesive cross section of our company across many roles and areas including our company mission, HR, purchasing decisions, and our green initiatives.
We have working Zoom meetings at least twice a month to “be together” as we all tackle different sections of the assessment. These check-ins make it really convenient to shout out a question we want some group feedback on, bounce ideas off each other, and share our progress along the way.
We’re at a point right now where we’re getting close to finishing most questions. Soon, we’ll do a run through together as a group – going question by question and seeing what needs a little finer tuning, or any more policies we need to create.
Our go-to B Corp resource
As with any new experience in life – it’s fun to learn from others! We love the podcast Responsibly Different™ from Dirigo Collective, a local Maine media company that specializes in channel strategy. This bi-weekly podcast spotlights the B Corp journey for many businesses across many diverse industries. It’s so helpful and the stories are so inspiring. It makes you want to do business with everyone they talk with – especially knowing they share our mission to bring goodness back into the business world!
The best kind of surprise
The B Corp Certification is an intense and thorough process. Each question you answer qualifies you for a certain number of points. Companies need to score 80 or above to move forward.
Drumroll, please…we’re already over 80!
Not only is this affirming on so many levels to validate what iBec has already been doing for the past 15 years, it’s also thrilling that this certification is becoming more tangible.
Why a long wait is a GOOD THING
As soon as we finish up our application, we submit it and wait to be assigned to an assessor.
This can take anywhere from one to six months. Even though it feels like a long lead time to be certified, it’s heartening that so many companies are focused on doing so much more than sealing deals or making money. We’re incredibly proud to be part of this long line of visionaries ready to bring more positive change into our world!
Keep following our B Corp journey!
We’re so enthusiastic to take on this huge project, and we’d love to have you alongside us! We’re going to post monthly blogs on this adventure – so follow us on Instagram and sign up for our newsletter. We can’t wait to share this journey with all of you!
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