#bcorporation

[mrsannacampbell]

My colleague & friend Jessica Thomas is a revolutionary leader in the world of sustainable business practices & B Corporation movement! Businesses can be a force for good! Thank you, Jessica, for everything you do for our global community! 

[downtoearthmarkets]

The arrival of March is always a welcome event at Down to Earth Markets. Not only does it mean spring is almost here, it’s also our annual celebration of B Corp Month. Down to Earth Markets first became a Certified B Corporation™ in 2014. This important designation means that we hold ourselves to a higher standard of corporate responsibility by continuously prioritizing people and the planet over profits in everything we do. To achieve B Corp status, we voluntarily undergo a rigorous, yet rewarding, external third-party assessment every three years.

As a mission-driven Certified B Corp, Down to Earth Markets believes there’s a better path to a better world—one of action and purpose, inspiration and community. We are committed to contributing towards transforming our economic landscape into one that uses business as a force for good. We envision an economy that benefits everyone, not just a few; an economy that balances profit with purpose; an economy that embraces interdependence instead of individualism; an economy that values regeneration over extraction; an economy that addresses society’s most critical challenges like climate change and social inequity.

This year, B Corp Month is centered around the emerging generation of people who recognize the urgent need to reshape the pillars of capitalism to achieve this vision. Generation B (#GenB) refers to everyone in this cohort—no matter what their numerical age—working towards positive change and a more sustainable future for all. Our employees who direct their passions and dedicate their work efforts towards these goals form the backbone of this movement at Down to Earth Markets. In anticipation of B Corp Month, several of them recently shared their thoughts about what it means to be working for a Certified B Corporation.

Trisha, Larchmont Farmers Market Community Manager After Covid hit and the world shut down, it was important to me to realign my work to better reflect my values as a human being. A big part of that was looking at companies that are certified B Corps and who believe in that mission.

I love that Down To Earth Markets stands behind their mission to use business as a force for good, and this is reflected in our market on an ongoing basis. We believe in being good stewards of the earth and creating a community hub that furthers that ethos. From providing locally grown, farm fresh products to handcrafted and locally sourced food, our market is an important resource and community gathering venue for the greater Larchmont area.

Bryce, Larchmont Farmers Market Site Manager I think B Corp [certification] is important because it holds companies to high standards. B Corp ensures that certified companies have the right values benefiting employees and the community around them. By not only ensuring that companies treat their employees well but also making sure they are aware and thoughtful of their community, B Corp is setting the bar for other companies to have widespread impact on community.

To me, being employed by a certified B Corp company means being more involved with my community and meeting lots of new people. It also means a very positive work environment. Going into the future I think certified B Corps will play an important role in inspiring other businesses to have high ethical standards, and overall, increase the wellbeing of employees and consumers.

Jon Zeltsman, Owner For me business has always been about delivering an honest product. Being a benefit corporation with B Corp certification alerts our customers that we have values beyond profit, yet includes profit in the mix. We are conscious about not being a not-profit organization. Financial health is a precursor to being an economically sustainable company.

Being employed by a Certified B Corp matches my values. I feel that I am contributing to the many communities where we work and supporting the many small businesses that are our customers. In the future, being a Certified B Corporation would ideally bring attention to the fact that there is more to business than shareholder value. 

Kevin, Cunningham Park Farmers Market Community Manager I believe our status as a Certified B Corp isn't what provides value to our customers and clientele. It's the companies that make being a Certified B Corp status valuable. I'm glad that Down to Earth Markets has that status as an organized effort to show the world that our company believes in progressive, humanitarian ideals. But the value of our status will always be defined by our actions, not by our pedigree.

Being employed by a Certified B Corp gives me implicit permission to be the best person I can be at Down to Earth. It sets a standard that inspires me to think beyond my financial impact on the company. Professionally, it gives me a simple way to indicate to colleagues, clients, and new acquaintances what my values are, and hopefully, that can make them feel more at ease, more inspired to get on my level.

As industry work and environmental standards come under attack, being a Certified B Corp will mean more than it ever has. Hopefully, people will see that status and assume we are part of the solution. Still, it will mean that being a B Corp isn't about meeting a minimum standard but going above what is socially or politically acceptable in terms of how we treat workers, how we treat the environment, and how we treat our communities.

We invite you to celebrate along with us as we observe B Corp Month and look forward to seeing you in the farmers market.

[downtoearthmarkets]

Did you know that Down to Earth Markets is a Certified B Corp and that March means B Corp Month for us and other B Corps? In case you aren’t familiar with B Corp certification, it is a designation signifying that a business demonstrates high social and environmental performance, has made a legal commitment to its social performance obligations by changing its corporate governance structure, and exhibits transparency in its impact measurement and reporting. Certified B Corporations are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Down to Earth Markets is not only mission-driven, but committed to demonstrating its impact on our area of focus with this external certification process. 

Down to Earth Markets has held B Corporation designation since 2014. To maintain our certification, the company undergoes a rigorous application process and point-based evaluation system every three years. As a company rooted in social change and using our business as a force for good, it is important for us to embrace the highest B Corp standards and hold ourselves to these corporate values through continued recertification. 

The theme for B Corp Month this year is We Go Beyond. Here is an overview of how Down to Earth Markets goes beyond every day to strengthen our regional food system – and the local economy – while aligning our business values with the values of community and environmental care. 

1. We Go Beyond: Down to Earth Markets was Founded on Social and Environmental Change

Certified B Corps are companies driven to make a positive social and environmental impact that is demonstrated by achieving a high B Impact Assessment score. Down to Earth Markets was founded by Miriam Haas with social and environmental impact at its core when she launched the company’s first Ossining-based farmers market back in 1991. Out of concern for the lack of transparency in the global food industry and limited access to fresh, local foods in many New York communities, she set out to connect with nearby food sources. Two Hudson Valley farmers answered her call, and together they began selling produce directly to shoppers at the weekly market. Today Down to Earth Markets connects cooks and eaters with small-scale regional farmers and food producers at our farmers markets across Westchester, Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn. 

2. We Go Beyond: Down to Earth Markets Practices Good Corporate Governance

As a Certified B Corp, Down to Earth Markets must meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. We are required to build a corporate governance structure that is accountable to all stakeholders. Down to Earth Markets considers the impact on our community, employees and the environment with every business decision that we make. We embrace certification, local sourcing and community-scale commerce as the best ways to ensure transparency in business and our food system. In addition, Down to Earth Markets has achieved New York Benefit Corporation status -- a corporate form designed for for-profit entities that want to consider society and the environment, in addition to profit, in their decision-making process.  

3. We Go Beyond: Down to Earth Markets Provides Economic Opportunity

Down to Earth Markets actively seeks out early-stage farms and food producers to give them a marketplace entry-point to help jumpstart their businesses. We see micro- and small-scale businesses as the preservationists of our rich and eclectic foodways, but also essential to the health of our regional economy. In addition, we assert the critical importance of having a robust local food production system to food system transparency and food security. 

Our markets act as both incubators and steppingstones by providing venues through which farmers and foodmakers can reach a wider audience with their products. At the core are our farmers who often live in rural, upstate communities that are geographically more isolated and economically challenged. Down to Earth Markets provides an opportunity for these underserved populations, thereby strengthening our regional food system to provide an alternative to industrial food and create a viable economy for small-scale farms.  

4. We Go Beyond: Down to Earth Markets Promotes Better Environmental Stewardship 

Down to Earth Markets believes that seasonal, local food is a vital part of our heritage that ensures the health of our communities and environment. The impact can be found in multiple areas: 

Our farms raise many different crops, preserving their lands’ health and biodiversity. The majority of farms that operate within our markets use regenerative or low-impact agricultural techniques that promote and protect the health of our ecosystems. These include seasonal production, organic growing, cover crops, reduced tillage, on-site composting and other healthy soil practices. 

By providing communities with locally grown, in season produce our farms incur fewer food transportation miles and associated carbon emissions than that of industrially produced food.  

The meat and poultry our farms produce has been sustainably and humanely raised requiring significantly less land-use change, water waste and energy expenditure than that of industrial factory farms. 

Prepared foods are made with ingredients and at a scale that eliminates the toll of factory food production. 

The products sold by our farms and food creators have minimal to no packaging which helps reduce the volume of trash entering our waste stream. 

Down to Earth Markets encourages shoppers to bring their reusable shopping bags and asks vendors to refrain from providing single-use plastic produce and shopping bags unless necessitated by the type of item.

Down to Earth Markets works with local community organizations to provide Textile and Food Scrap Recycling in many of our locations.

[ilovevanlife]

It’s winter, how’s your #flannel game? I’ve been loving some of my new @thejettylife flannels and sherpas I picked up this year. I just noticed some are on sale, get over there now. Super rad #bcorporation brand that gives back to the costal communities. Link in bio to learn more about Jetty men, women, and kids apparel #drawyourownline #apparel #surf #skate #art #music (at United States) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn3VfkXDdgm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kallibeth]

This is my friendly reminder that our #bcorporation #bcorp can only donate to @aish.com @aishny if we sell the #jerusalemmenorah items!! Please help our brand help the OU's army 😘 (at Omaha, Nebraska) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkvrhUnu-Pr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kallibeth]

The next phase is figuring out how to do the reverse crowdfunding model (since I can't put campaign on @rockethub I'm not putting one online, again). The best way for our brand to be a #bcorporation is through earmarking revenue from one specific design. Any money made off of any of this #littleoracle design is going directly to #friendshipcircle in Omaha- a new nonprofit to bolster the social and academic experiences of exceptional children. I'm also thankful that we have figured out how to give longterm revenue- and find ways to continue making new revenue streams for nonprofits. Yes, I made this shirt for Zeke AND Connor. I also made Connor a bunch of the other STEM designs because his mom will not let him get a bunch of (stuff) toys today at his birthday party. Hope his preschool is down with promoting medical tourism in pre-k. 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈 andddd Zeke's friends are now turning 5, and I want to cryyyyy. (at Omaha, Nebraska) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiqOcaZOCOZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[shopgoodneighbor115]

New Brand Alert!🤎 We’ve been loving @shopsoko for years and are real happy to have them stocked in-stores and online. @shopsoko is a women-led, people-first ethical jewelry brand and tech-powered manufacturing platform built to connect artisans in Kenya with the global market. As a certified B-Corp, they believe in using business as a force for good to balance profit with purpose. We <3 that. #hineighbor #newbrandalert #newjewelrybrand #jewelrydesigner #bcorporation #womenledbusiness #techpowered #kenyanart #shopsmall #smallbusinesslove (at Good Neighbor) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcQQVr1riiL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[shopgoodneighbor115]

New Brand Alert!🤎 We’ve been loving @sok for years and are real happy to have them stocked in-stores and online. @shopsoko is a is a women-led, people-first ethical jewelry brand and tech-powered manufacturing platform built to connect artisans in Kenya with the global market. As a certified B-Corp, they believe in using business as a force for good to balance profit with purpose. We <3 that. #hineighbor #newbrandalert #newjewelrybrand #jewelrydesigner #bcorporation #womenledbusiness #techpowered #kenyanart #shopsmall #smallbusinesslove (at Good Neighbor) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcQQDrhL_pc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=