Today, 61 companies across 35 industries and 13 countries were recognized for creating the most positive impact for their communities by the nonprofit B Lab, with the release of the 'B Corp Best for Communities List', the fourth installment in its 2013 ‘B Corp Best for the World’ series.

Companies earning this honor include Greyston Bakery, as well-known for its open-hiring policies as for supplying brownies to Ben & Jerry's, One PacificCoast Bank, an innovative, triple-bottom line, community development financial institution, and both Cooperative Home Care Associates (NY) and Home Care Associates (PA), two of the largest worker-owned cooperatives providing high-quality home care services to elders and individuals living with disabilities. 30% of honorees are based outside the US, with 5 based in Canada and 14 in emerging markets. Honorees operating in emerging markets include a telecommunications company in Afghanistan (Roshan), an internet cafe and job training company in Brazil (CDI Ventures S/A), and an investor in smallholder farmers in Kenya (Juhudi Kilimo). (Full list of honorees below.)

“Businesses that can empirically demonstrate they improve the quality of life in the communities around them will be the ones that attract the best talent and turn their customers into evangelists,” said Jay Coen Gilbert, co-founder of B Lab, the nonprofit that publishes the B Corp Best for the World Lists.

The ‘B Corp Best for Communities List’ honors businesses that earned an overall score in the top 10% of all Certified B Corporations for their positive impact on their communities as measured by the B Impact Assessment, a comprehensive assessment used by more than 10,000 businesses to measure their impact on their workers, community, and the environment. This analysis includes metrics regarding the company’s product/service direct impact on social issues including health, education and economic opportunity, supplier and workforce diversity, local and fair trade supply chains, and volunteerism and charitable giving.

Each honoree is a Certified B Corporation, a new type of company that uses the power of business for good and meets rigorous standards of overall social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today there are over 850 Certified B Corporations across more than 60 industries and 29 countries, unified by the common goal to redefine success in business.

In April, B Lab recognized 67 companies as 'Best for the World' (overall impact); in June, 63 companies as 'Best for the Environment'; and in September, 79 companies as 'Best for Workers'.

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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 (20 states have already passed benefit corporation legislation); 3) developing B Analytics, a customizable platform for measuring, benchmarking, and reporting on impact 4) providing free, powerful tools for businesses to measure, compare and improve their social and environmental performance (more than 15,000 businesses use B Lab’s free B Impact Assessment).

For more information, visit www.bcorporation.net, www.b-analytics.net and www.benefitcorp.net.

Executives from each honored company available for comment. For more information contact Katie Kerr at katie@bcorporation.net, (610) 293-0299.

2013 ‘B Corp Best For Communities’ Honorees

14 Midsize Businesses (50+ Employees)

Co2 Bambu, Granada, Nicaragua
CO2 Bambu designs, manufactures and assembles ecologically sound structures for homes, schools, clinics.

Cooperative Home Care Associates, NY
CHCA is the nation’s largest worker-owned cooperative, providing high-quality home care services to elders and individuals living with disabilities—primarily African-American and Hispanic residents of the South Bronx, Harlem and Washington Heights.

d.light design, CA
d.light is a for-profit social enterprise whose purpose is to create new freedoms for customers without access to reliable power so they can enjoy a brighter future.

Echale a tu casa, Mexico City, Mexico
Echale is a social housing production company that delivers affordable homes to communities through the implementation of innovations in construction technology and finance, streamlining the self-build process and strengthening social inclusion.

Give Something Back, Inc., CA
Give Something Back sells business products for less, while donating a significant share of profits back to the community in the form of charitable contributions.

Greenlight Planet, Mumbai, India
Greenlight Planet is a for-profit social enterprise focused on solving the energy needs of 'off-grid' rural households in the developing world.

Greyston Bakery, Inc., NY
Greyston Bakery is most famous for its long-standing status as Ben & Jerry's brownie supplier and for having an open-hiring policy that provides the people of Yonkers, NY with employment opportunity regardless of work history.

HCA, PA
Home Care Associates of Philadelphia (HCA) has dedicated itself to a quality care through quality jobs mission. By providing quality home care jobs, HCA works to ensure quality care across the Philadelphia metropolitan area for elders and people with disabilities.

Journey Healing Centers, AZ
Journey Healing Centers is an accredited drug and alcohol rehabilitation program which provides completely confidential services in residential treatment, day treatment, outpatient, long-term sober living, and dual diagnosis therapy to adults.

One PacificCoast Bank, CA
One PacificCoast Bank is an innovative, triple-bottom line, community development financial institution.

Shree Kamdhenu Electronics, Mumbai, India
Shree Kamdhenu Electronics provides the Indian dairy sector with more efficient milk collection equipment.

Sunrise Banks, MN
Sunrise Banks is in the business of developing strong communities that provide homes and jobs to their residents.

Telecom Development Company Afghanistan Ltd. (Roshan), Kabul, Afghanistan
Roshan is Afghanistan's leading telecommunications provider.

VIF International Education, NC
VIF International Education is the nation’s largest J-1 teacher exchange sponsor and a provider of language immersion and global literacy programs.

15 Small Businesses (10-49 Employees)

Bay Area Medical Academy, CA
Bay Area Medical Academy offers job-oriented training in high-growth, high-demand, specialized areas of the healthcare field and prepares individuals for successful long term careers.

Catchafire, NY
Catchafire provides individuals with meaningful pro bono experiences with the aim of building capacity for social good organizations.

ChangeIt, Ontario, Canada
ChangeIt® is a patented process that leverages the rapid shift from cash to electronic payments by providing automated charitable giving through the creation of Virtual Change® on your eWallets, payment cards, etc.

Delight Co., Ltd., Seoul, South Korea
Delight Co. manufactures and distribute standardized and customized hearing aids.

FINAE SAPI DE CV, México, D.F., Mexico
FINAE is a non-bank financial institution specialized in student loans, supporting low-income Mexican students pursuing a higher education.

Hybrytec Solar, Medellín, Colombia
Solar Energy Integrator develops solar projects for health centers, fishing villages, schools, hotels, and private customers.

Impact Energies, NY
Impact Energies delivers high quality, solar LED lamps and micro-solar home systems to energy-poor consumers in Ghana at affordable prices.

Impact Makers, Inc., VA
Impact Makers delivers information technology and management consulting professional services, focused on the healthcare industry.

Juhudi Kilimo, Nairobi, Kenya
Juhudi Kilimo finances targeted agricultural assets for smallholder farmers and rural enterprises across Kenya.

Moving Forward Education, CA
Moving Forward Education provides tutoring and mentoring services for youth.

Quetsol, Guatemala, Guatemala
Quetsol provides affordable solar energy solutions to the poorest, most remote regions of Guatemala

SQA Pharmacy Services, PA
SQA Pharmacy Services provides a unique, personalized medication delivery service to group homes, assisted living facilities and Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Trillium Asset Management, MA
Trillium Asset Management is an independent investment advisor devoted exclusively to sustainable and responsible investing (SRI).

Veris Wealth Partners, NY
Veris Wealth Partners, LLC is a wealth management firm committed to helping align customers' wealth with their mission.

Virginia Community Capital, VA
Virginia Community Capital is a community development financial institution (CDFI) and banking entity.

32 Micro-Enterprises (<10 Employees)

Actuality Media, NV
Actuality Media creates service learning programs for media students to travel to developing communities and produce short documentaries about social entrepreneurs and other social and environmental changemakers.

Aroundsquare Ltd., Alberta, Canada
Aroundsquare is a small company devoted to healthy development, inside and out, individual and society. With a focus on child development and transformative education, AO2 leverages creativity and learning for the greater good.

B Revolution, CA
B Revolution’s team of expert advisors provides experience-tested advice and guidance on how to implement sustainable social and environmental impact practices to maximize revenues, cut costs, build brand equity, and, when necessary, solicit the right kind of capital.

Bmergent, WA
Bmergent leverages decades of team development, software design and consulting experience to help reframe organizational challenges into business opportunities.

CDI Ventures S/A, São Paulo, Brazil
CDI Lan generates income and employability through education and training in low income communities by providing access to high social impact solutions through internet cafes.

Core Capital Management, CA
Core Capital is an investment management company specializing in alternative investment solutions.

Eudaimonia, Alberta, Canada
Eudaimonia focuses on creating resilience and innovation through sustainability and developing strategic plans that create social, environmental and economic value.

Fans Without Footprints, NY
Fans Without Footprints is the only program that allows the passionate fan to balance your environmental footprint—or Fanprint™—by making a contribution to a green project in their community.

Farmland LP, CA
Farmland LP acquires conventional farmland and converts it to organic, sustainable farmland, in a structure similar to a private farmland REIT.

Fledge LLC, WA
Fledge is a business incubator/accelerator targeting "conscious companies," i.e. companies whose customers are environmentally-conscious, socially-conscious and community-conscious.

Greater Richmond Grid, VA
Greater Richmond Grid is a free magazine which provides upbeat information and resources to the greater Richmond area.

Ideaction Corps, IL
Ideaction Corps is a collaborative of accomplished agencies and freelancers working together for the common good. They offer a broad, deep bench of services to client partners pursuing social impact in their local communities and around the world. From large-scale, high-level campaigns to the brass tacks strategy and tools needed to get there, Ideaction mobilizes the collective teams of talent needed to make a difference.

Mikado Consulting, Istanbul, Turkey
Mikado is a social enterprise committed to serving sustainable development and to crafting social impact through innovative models and solutions.

Natural Investments LLC, HI
Natural Investments is a national portfolio management firm exclusively managing sustainable and responsible investments.

Ned Schaub Consulting -- Social Change Strategy, CA
Ned Schaub Consulting -- Social Change Strategy supports social sector organizations and their leaders in their efforts to deepen and sustain their impact and achieve organization sustainability, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for vulnerable populations, fostering communities that fully integrate those that are often marginalized, achieving stronger, richer communities and better life for all.

New Avenue, CA
New Avenue is an online platform that sells architecture services, provides loans and assists with construction for homeowners who want to add a second unit to their single family home.

One Earth Designs, Hong Kong, China
One Earth Designs provides customizable solar energy technologies.

One World Futbol Project, CA
One World Futbol Project is committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of youth around the world through the One World Futbol, a virtually-indestructible ball that never goes flat and never needs a pump.

PhilanTech, Washington D.C.
PhilanTrack® is an online grants management system designed to help organizations maximize social impact while minimizing environmental impact.

PwrdBy, CA
PwrdBy develops community, awareness, and support for charities through photo-sharing on your iPhone & Android.

REthink Development, CA
REthink Development is a developer of sustainable building and renewable energy projects across real estate product types.

RSF Capital Management, Inc., CA
RSF Social Finance (RSF) is a pioneering non-profit financial services organization dedicated to transforming the way the world works with money. In partnership with a community of investors and donors, RSF provides capital to non-profit and for-profit social enterprises addressing key issues in the areas of Food and Agriculture, Education and the Arts and Ecological Stewardship.

SNP Strategies, Inc., IL
SNP Strategies, Inc. is a private consultancy serving non-profit organizations to integrate organizational strategy and resource development.

Social(k), MA
Social(k) is full service record keeper and TPA providing more ESG screened retirement options to organizations of all sizes, utilizing a paperless platform and open architecture.

Squag Inc., Ontario, Canada
Squag is a social platform designed specifically for kids 8-18 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Sustainability Advantage, Ontario, Canada
Sustainability Advantage inspires business leaders to integrate sustainability strategies into their companies and provides useful resources to accelerate the transformation towards a sustainable global society.

Sustainable Earth Solutions, Inc., NY
Sustainable Earth Solutions Inc offers education and training in the fields of creative thinking, project design and management, leadership and sustainability consulting for schools, non-profits, and corporate organizations.

SVT Group, CA
SVT group is an impact accounting firm: analogous to a financial accounting firm, but focused on the measurement, management and accurate reporting of information about the social and environmental value a company creates.

Sweet Livity LLC, CA
Sweet Livity LLC offers customized health and wellness services to allow people and organizations who serve the community to do their jobs to the fullest.

The Arnold Development Group, MO
The Arnold Development Group is a full service real estate investment and development firm that creates sustainable mixed-use retail, office and residential projects.

The Restorative Leadership Institute, CO
The Restorative Leadership Institute offers training and development for purpose-driven organizations and planet-minded leaders through executive coaching, strategic consulting and leadership development.

Watershed Capital, NC
Watershed Capital Group is an investment bank advising companies, funds and institutional investors that are advancing the sustainable economy.

B Lab

B Lab

B Lab is a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement to redefine success in business. It's vision is that one day all companies will compete not only to be the best in the world, but best for the world.

B Lab drives this systemic change through a number of interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations who lead this movement and make it easier to tell the difference between “good companies” and good marketing; 2) passing benefit corporation legislation to create a new kind of corporation legally required to create value for society, not just shareholders; 3) helping investors invest for impact through use of the B Analytics data platform; and 4) helping businesses measure, compare and improve their social and environmental performance through use of the B Impact Assessment as a free powerful educational tool.

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