Kansas City: Buying Influence, Inc., a non-profit organization seeking to influence publicly-traded corporations to make more socially responsible business decisions has opened their corporate office in Kansas City, according to Linda Eakes, Buying Influence President and Executive Director. "Our organization's primary focus is educating consumers about how large corporations value, empower and treat women and minorities within their corporate culture," says Eakes.

Buying Influence evaluates and then grades publicly traded corporations. Buying Influence researchers collect, screen, and evaluate the data. Using these facts and data they rate the corporation to indicate the company's overall grade for corporate practices, Board of Director diversity, break-out grading for women and breakout grading for minorities. The grades are for each corporation's treatment of women and minorities in two areas: pay equity (receiving equal pay for equal work) and being fairly represented in the highest levels of management and on the corporate board of directors. Corporations are assigned a letter grade A (excellent) through F (failing). The actual data in detail that is used for evaluation is available on line on the website, www.buyinginfluence.com.

Buying Influence Letter Grading System is similar to the letter grade definitions used in schools. According to Eakes, when a corporation receives an "A" it means that their business practices are fair and equitable, a "B" means that there is an area or two that needs some review and improvement, a "C" means that there are several areas that need improvement, and a "D" means that the corporation has questionable business practices. Finally, an "F" means that the corporation has failed; they do not incorporate fair and equitable business practices. Corporations receiving the higher grades include Aetna, Verizon and Wells Fargo. Three of corporations with failing grades are Allstate, Proctor & Gamble, and Sun Trust Banks.

Dr. Maria Kunstadter is the founder and CEO of Buying Influence Inc. Dr. Kunstadter holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from Drury College and a D.D.S. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. "At Buying Influence we are providing the information that will permit individuals to consciously make informed purchasing decisions regarding the corporations they support with their spending dollars."

"On the issue of wage discrimination, the numbers are really quite astounding. In the workplace women earn about 74 cents for each dollar men make, even in studies accounting for things like similar education and experience," adds Dr. Kunstadter. "Women represent less than 2% of publicly-held corporate board seats, and minorities are barely a blip on the radar screen at less than 1%! Yes, it's a hot issue."

Buying Influence has researchers who gather the data on the corporations, enter it into a database, and deliver it to consumers. But, there's one more thing the organization also provides. "We evaluate the data according to our stated criteria on an issue (in this example, women), and assign the corporation a letter grade to indicate how well they scored on that issue," according to Eakes. "We are providing a service that gives the consumer a simple way to quickly make a judgment call about whether to buy from a particular company."

"We are engineering a new paradigm of 'cause spending'. Consumers can support their own interests by using their dollars to change corporate behavior." Buying Influence encourages consumers on all levels to become informed and let their dollars reflect their values thus making informed buying decisions - instead of unconscious decisions, as a result, their buying habits become pro-active. The website has form letters so consumers can write to corporations telling them why they support or do not support them as another way to influence them.

"The net effect on corporations is to realize that business decisions they make which are socially irresponsible are also socially unacceptable to the buying public," adds Eakes. "When activism affects, or threatens to affect, the profit and loss of a company, the company decision-makers will notice . . . and react. This is called 'impact consumerism.' Ultimately, the corporation begins to respond to consumer pressure being applied with their purchasing decisions. And that is Buying Influence in action!"

Buying Influence, Inc. is located at 801 West 47th Street, Suite 110, (Country Club Plaza), Kansas City, MO 64112. For more information contact Linda Eakes, President at 816-931-7896 or at lindae@buyinginfluence.com. There website is www.buyinginfluence.com.

Buying Influence, Inc.

Buying Influence, Inc.

Buying Influence, Inc. is a non-profit consumer advocacy organization seeking to guide consumers to harness their buying power so that corporations make more socially responsible business decisions. We are engineering a new paradigm called "cause spending." With every dollar you spend, you, the consumer, can choose to support a company that mirrors your causes and values. Collectively, informed consumers can be a powerful tool for change.

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