Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP, a Certified B Corporation since 2010, announces its recertification from B Lab, the nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a new sector of the economy that harnesses the power of business to solve social and environmental issues. Wendel Rosen is one of only a dozen law firms in the nation to receive the B Corporation designation, which is a certification brand that can be attained by any qualifying business regardless of legal form of entity.

To become certified, businesses must meet comprehensive social and environmental performance standards, which are measured via a survey called the B Impact Rating System. In addition, B Corporations must expand corporate responsibility to include the interests of all stakeholders – employees, the community, the environment – rather than shareholders alone. An independent Standards Advisory Council oversees the certification ratings and audit requirements. Today, there are more than 750 Certified B Corporations, spanning 60 industries and representing a diverse multi-billion dollar marketplace. To see Wendel Rosen’s B Corporation profile, click here.

“Operating as a B Corporation is not a stretch here at Wendel Rosen,” said Daniel Rapaport, managing partner of the firm. “We have and continue to incorporate the values of social and environmental responsibility into every decision we make, from general operations to client service. We are proud of our recertification and look forward to being a part of bettering the business community for years to come.”

Wendel Rosen has long been a pioneering law firm when it comes to adopting and promoting sustainable business practices in the profession. In 2003, it became the first certified green law firm in the country (certification conducted by the Bay Area Green Business Program) and launched its Green Business Practice Group. In addition, the firm co-chaired the effort to write and pass California’s Benefit Corporation Law (AB361). Firm attorneys and executives regularly speak and write to business audiences regarding the pursuit of a sustainable business operation.

About Wendel Rosen
With nearly 60 attorneys and approximately 130 total employees, Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP serves a diverse clientele of business, public and individual clients located throughout California and the United States. With offices in Oakland and Modesto, California, the 104-year-old firm advises clients on transactional and civil litigation matters in several related fields of law, including bankruptcy, restructuring and creditor rights; real estate; business/corporate; construction; eminent domain; employment; environmental; estate planning, trusts and probate; green business; insurance; intellectual property; land use; taxation; and technology. In 2003, the firm became the first law firm in the country to gain third-party certification as a green business and has won numerous recognitions for its leadership in the green economy. Additional information about the firm and its attorneys may be found at www.wendel.com.

About B Corp
B Corporations strive to create economic opportunity, build strong communities and preserve a healthy environment. Certified B Corporations meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests, and build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand. As of February 2013, there are more than 690 Certified B Corporations from over 60 industries and 24 countries, representing a diverse multi-billion dollar marketplace.

About B Lab
B Lab is a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement to redefine success in business so that all companies compete not only to be the best in the world, but the best for the world. B Lab drives this systemic change through a number of interrelated initiative: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and good marketing; 2) passing legislation to accelerate growth of social entrepreneurship and impact investing (12 states have already passed benefit corporation legislation); 3) driving capital to high impact investments through the use of GIIRS Ratings and Analytics (more than 60 investors with over $3B in impact assets under management use GIIRS); and 4) providing free, powerful tools for businesses to measure, compare and improve their social and environmental performance (more than 7,000 businesses use B Lab’s free B Impact Assessment).

Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP

Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP

Founded in 1909, Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP serves a diverse clientele of business, public and individual clients located throughout California and the United States. With offices in Oakland and Modesto, California, the firm advises clients on transactional and civil litigation matters in several related fields of law, including real estate; business; corporate; construction; eminent domain; employment; environmental; estate planning, trusts and probate; green business; insolvency, bankruptcy and creditors' rights; insurance; intellectual property; land use; public agency; taxation; and technology. As the first law firm in the country to have been certified as a green business, the firm has led the way in greening the legal industry. We represent traditional businesses as well as those in areas including green building and design, solar and renewable energy, environmental, clean tech, climate change, organics and natural products. - Certifed B Corporation - Bay Area Green Business Program certified (2003, 2007, 2010) - 1% For the Planet (Green Business Practice Group) - San Francisco Business Times Green Awards Finalist (2009) - National Law Journal "Mid-sized Law Firm Hot List" (2009) - San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Community Partnership in Sustainability Award (2010)

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