Steps and Guidance for Businesses to Help Create an Inclusive Economy

B Corps Share Key Lessons from Impact Improvement Program

“These approaches not only help employees build wealth but also inspired us to set more ambitious goals aligned with our commitment to a more inclusive and supportive workplace.”

“In order to address the systems of inequality that underpin the way our society operates, we as a small consulting firm have strived to model socially and environmentally responsible business practices and actions.”

“All the sessions sparked conversations within our organization and will continue to point us in the right direction.”

These quotes reflect just a few of the takeaways and lessons applied by Certified B Corporations that recently completed B Lab U.S. & Canada’s Impact Improvement Program. Built on the understanding that shaping a more inclusive economy takes informed, diligent work, the Impact Improvement Program guides participating B Corps through topics that address systemic and organizational change. These include open hiring practices, inclusivity in organizational leadership, board diversity, living wage analysis, and wealth-building benefits. 

The goal is for B Corps across the region and of any size to be informed, equipped, and able to take the intentional steps necessary to create an economy that works for everyone. This is the second cohort of the eight-week program, which launched in April 2023, and included leaders from 15 B Corps. 

B The Change received insights from three B Corps that recently completed the program: 

• Sustainability consulting and marketing communications company Evolution Marketing
• Managed IT services provider DeepNet 
• Bicycle product distribution, education, advocacy, and product innovation company Quality Bicycle Products. 

Below, the companies share takeaways from the Impact Improvement Program, including which sessions they found especially relevant, how they plan to implement policies and practices, and what lightbulb moments the program prompted. Learn how these B Corps are transforming their operations for the better and apply by Oct. 15, 2024, to be a part of the next cohort. 

Evolution Marketing: Modeling Socially Responsible Business Practices in a Small Firm

Evolution Marketing Founder and President Lisa Geason-Bauer says that since the company’s founding in 2007, it has worked to demonstrate that a business can operate with a triple bottom line that evaluates decisions based on the impact on people, the planet, and long-term economic viability. She says that means bringing sustainability actions into the operations of nonprofits and social enterprise businesses as well as taking stock internally. 

“In order to address the systems of inequality that underpin the way our society operates, we as a small consulting firm have strived to model socially and environmentally responsible business practices and actions,” Geason-Bauer says. 

When it comes to putting impact improvement into practice, Evolution Marketing, based in Nashotah, Wisconsin, has implemented several policies and practices since completing the Impact Improvement Program. That includes paying certified living wages, offering financial literacy training for all employees, and expanding the company’s code of conduct into a comprehensive employee handbook. The new handbook covers at least a dozen new policies tied to topics covered in the program. Geason-Bauer also says the firm has normalized having open and honest conversations with team members about mental health and actions to reduce anxiety in their day-to-day lives.

Geason-Bauer says her lightbulb moment during the program was realizing the importance of financial literacy for well-being. She says as someone who grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm — wearing hand-me-down clothes and working since her early youth — financial literacy was important to her from a young age. She took multiple classes in high school that taught her financial skills such as budgeting and checkbook balancing but didn’t realize such courses were not universally available. 

“I hadn’t realized how important the financial knowledge I received as a high school student has been in my life, and that not all students in high school had access to the education I had received,” she says. “It became important for me to ensure that the Evolution Marketing team had access to user-friendly financial education tools.” 

Two of Evolution Marketing’s three employees attended the eight-week Impact Improvement Program. Geason-Bauer says the training was shareable for her staff, clients, and colleagues who also seek to create a culture of inclusion and adopt sustainability practices. She acknowledges it’s a process that takes commitment and urges others to stick with it. 

“Doing this work successfully takes time, effort, and energy,” Geason-Bauer says. “It is not a one-and-done. Be patient, allocate resources, and listen to your stakeholders, i.e. employees, when you are beginning this work.”

DeepNet: Integrating Impact Improvement Strategies Across Business Operations

DeepNet Human Resources Lead Christine Moore says the Impact Improvement Program offered the company a unique opportunity to collaborate with like-minded organizations, refine its impact strategies, and gain insights into best practices. 

Moore says one session that stood out as especially relevant and actionable was focused on wealth-building benefits. She says the discussions and tools provided were crucial for DeepNet’s efforts to implement benefits that support the long-term financial well-being of employees, especially those from underrepresented groups. Strategies included offering equitable profit-sharing plans, matching retirement contributions, and providing financial literacy programs. 

“These approaches not only help employees build wealth but also inspired us to set more ambitious goals aligned with our commitment to a more inclusive and supportive workplace,” Moore says. “Implementing these practices will enhance our employee benefits package and contribute to a more equitable distribution of wealth within our organization.”

The Impact Improvement Program also prompted California-based DeepNet to develop a comprehensive plan that includes revising its hiring practices to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. This involves introducing new training programs for its HR team to address unconscious biases and creating employee mentorship programs. Moore says one major lightbulb moment for her was realizing how inclusive hiring practices can significantly impact both company culture and business outcomes. 

“While I understood the theoretical benefits of diversity before the program, the practical examples and data presented clarified how diverse teams drive innovation and enhance problem-solving,” Moore says. “This new perspective has shifted our approach to hiring and team development, highlighting the strategic value of building diverse teams.”

While DeepNet’s new initiatives reflect the company’s broader commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable workplace, Moore says the most significant overall takeaway from the program was the importance of integrating impact improvement strategies into every aspect of business operations. 

“The cohort reinforced that making meaningful progress in social and environmental impact requires a holistic approach and continuous effort,” Moore says. “By committing to ongoing learning and adapting our practices based on new insights, we can drive real change and set a positive example for the B Corp community. It’s about fostering a culture of continuous improvement rather than just achieving short-term goals.”

Quality Bicycle Products: Fostering Inclusivity in Organizational Leadership

Quality Bicycle Products has a four-spoke impact model focused on sustainability, advocacy, community, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The Bloomington, Minnesota-based company selected Saisha Harris, who leads the company’s DEI work, and Strategic Communications and Purpose Marketing Manager Adam Koepfer, who leads efforts focused on environmental, social, and governance impact, to attend the Impact Improvement Program. 

Koepfer says the session on inclusivity in organizational leadership was especially relevant for Quality Bicycle Products. It gave the company some actionable takeaways, including a tool to acknowledge bias during meetings. “We have recently implemented the purple flag for calling out microaggressions in our meetings,” Koepfer says. “It has become a great way to respectfully address microaggressions and make our meetings and organization more inclusive.”

Quality Bicycle Products also has re-examined its background check policy and modified its employee identity survey. “We also plan to implement inclusive leadership trainings for all of our leaders in the coming months,” Koepfer says.

“All the sessions sparked conversations within our organization and will continue to point us in the right direction.”

Koepfer says the immense amount of history covered in the sessions was helpful, adding important context to current conversations and providing guidance for moving forward. He encouraged other B Corps to take advantage of the Impact Improvement Program as well. “This is a fantastic program that any B Corp should lean into,” he said. “It is offered free to the participating organizations, and the amount of learning provided is extremely valuable.” 

Apply by Oct. 15, 2024, to be a part of the next Impact Improvement Program.