Mills, a family owned office supplies distributor, is proud to announce that it has achieved Certified B Corporation status as designated by the non-profit organization B Lab. Mills is the first Office Supply Company in Canada to achieve this status.

B Corporations are a new kind of company which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. There are currently over 515 Certified B Corporations from sixty industries, representing $2.9 Billion in collective revenues.

To become a Certified B Corp, companies must meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance. Environmental leadership is a priority and a long standing tradition at Mills. By working closely with its family of customers, employees and suppliers, the company brings to life a vision of environmental responsibility and care that encourages and supports sustainable practices in office productivity. Mills is Vancouver’s first office supply business to be carbon neutral, first business partner of cycle-based distribution initiative Shift Urban Cargo and first business in Canada to own the eStar-EV 100% electric delivery truck.

The electric truck is part of a Carbon Free Delivery Program that involves once a week delivery to customers on pre-determined routes in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond.  All products will be packaged using re-usable delivery totes, acquired from FrogBox, which will be left with the customer until the next delivery to collect a wide variety of recyclables, including: pens, markers, binders, batteries and empty toner cartridges. 
It is a four-pronged approach that eliminates carbon emissions, reduces the # of deliveries on all routes, eliminates additional packaging waste and provides a recycling solution to businesses. (For additional information about Mills initiatives visit www.mills.ca.)

According to Brad Mills, CEO of Mills “Many of our competitors only act when being green meets their bottom line; by becoming a member of the B Corp Community, we want to show our customers our commitment to the environment and the local community we operate in”

“While any company can purchase carbon offsets, we are now being held to a higher standard as a Certified B Corporation” comments Brad. “We now must consider the impact that our decisions will have on our employees, customers, community, suppliers and the environment.  While this has always been important to us, being a part of this community will give us the framework to measure our successes and determine where we need improvement.”

About Certified B Corporations

Certified B Corporations must:

1. Meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance;
2. Legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests;
3. Build a collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.

About B Lab

B Lab (www.bcorporation.net)  is a non-profit organization dedicated to using the power of business to address the world’s most pressing challenges by supporting entrepreneurs who seek to use business as a force for good.

B Lab accomplishes this by:

1. Building a shining light on the community of Certified B Corporations, companies certified for being not just the best in the world, but best for the world. To earn certification, B Corporations must achieve a minimum score on the B Impact Assessment, which measures a company’s impact on its workforce, suppliers, consumers, community, and the environment;
2. Driving capital to these entrepreneurs using GIIRS Ratings and Analytics, a platform that allows investors to assess and benchmark the performance of companies and funds in their impact investment portfolios;
3. Creating an enabling policy environment, including incentives and new corporate form legislation that removes impediments to creating social benefit alongside shareholder value.

About Mills:  Locally owned and operated, Mills has been supplying the Lower Mainland with office supplies and printing services since 1949.  A carbon neutral, family owned business, Mills is known for its commitment to environmental sustainability and community based programs in the Downtown Eastside.    

Mills Office Productivity

Mills Office Productivity

Mills has taken care of British Columbia’s office supplies needs since 1949. Founder Don Mills set out from his parents’ home at the age of 19 to become the youngest person in Canada to establish a commercial stationery company. The company was Mills Printing Stationery Co. and today, as Mills, it continues to be a visionary family business thriving as one of the largest office supply providers in British Columbia. Brad and Blair Mills have carried on their father’s legacy of care and determination while executing a vision of commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

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