In January 2022, more than 4.3 million people quit their jobs in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Harvard Business Review is referring to the flux in the nation’s job market as the “Great Rethink” as people consider what they truly value in their careers and make changes to find it.
In Vermont, work can mean more than a paycheck, and it’s a lifestyle to many companies.
At Vermont’s B Corps, employees contribute to a triple bottom line focused on the people, the planet, and the profit of a business. B Corp-certified businesses manage their operations according to the highest social and environmental standards and Vermont is home to a range of B Corps.
Stowe-based brewery The Alchemist works to reduce impacts on the water system and uses solar canopies and recyclable materials as part of their mission for sustainability. Lake Champlain Chocolates uses 100% fair-trade cacao to support sustainable farming practices. Cabot Creamery Cooperative, the world’s first dairy B Corp, sources its milk from member farms that work sustainably, supporting agricultural communities in several states. Ben & Jerry’s sources ingredients from other companies with an eye for bettering the world, including fellow Vermont B Corp Rhino Foods, and supports initiatives that benefit the environment, people of color, and the formerly incarcerated.
If beer, cheese, chocolate, baking, and ice cream sound good to you, follow Dig In VT’s B Corp Food Trail to taste the power of positive change.
B Corps also work behind the scenes, helping elevate business initiatives through marketing, video production, and consulting. Merritt & Merritt offers legal services to expanding businesses, and Driven Studio offers a full suite of marketing services to other B Corps. Suncommon and Encore Renewable Energy help both businesses and private clients power their properties sustainably through solar power. Suncommon’s offices are net positive, producing more energy than they use. Women-owned B Corp Mamava produces lactation stations for nursing parents that can be found around airports and workplaces.
B Corps find success in Vermont. Four are employee-owned, and eight earned spots on the B Lab’s 2021 Best for the World Lists. Vermont was also the second state in the U.S. to pass benefit corporation legislation in 2010, allowing legal infrastructure for corporations to create and maintain values within their businesses. (Benefit corporations can, but are not required to, become B Corps through the B Lab’s certification process.)
Read more about B Corporations and benefit corporations in Vermont.
Inspired by Vermont’s variety of businesses focusing on the triple bottom line – people, planet, and profit? Make meaning a bigger part of your career by finding your place at a Vermont B Corp. Start at the B Work directory.
