B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
©Copyright 2012 B Lab. All rights reservedAbout Better World Books
Better World Books is a unique Social Enterprise - a triple bottom line business where creating a nursing library in Somaliland, supporting employees with profit sharing and equity ownership opportunities, and shipping book orders climate neutral are not just a by-product of doing business – they are the business. They’re not a company with an add-on “cause” component. Social and environmental responsibility is
at their core. You could say it's in their DNA.
We became a Founding B Corporation because, simply put, we believe that we are a different type of business. Our triple bottom line business model separates us from our competitors. While they are set up to provide wealth for their shareholders, we are set up to benefit our literacy partners, our employees and our environment.
Better World Books understands the importance of running a profitable enterprise. While most businesses answer only to their shareholders, they answer equally to all of their key stakeholders. By accounting for and supporting their long-term viability, profit takes on a much broader and richer meaning.
The Change We Seek™
Better World Books is a global bookstore that harnesses the power of capitalism to bring literacy and opportunity to people around the world.
• Better World Books capitalizes on the value of the book to fund and support literacy initiatives locally, nationally, and globally. They recognize the importance of literacy in alleviating poverty and empowering individuals to improve their everyday lives. A bookstore ought to generate funding for these programs and they do it with every book they sell. They currently support 85 partners who devote themselves to promoting literacy.
• If you’re concerned about your eco-footprint, know that Better World Books is determined to minimize its environmental impact. On the advice of a Carnegie Mellon engineer, Better World Books implemented an e-commerce first: the Carbon Neutral Shopping Cart. They collect a few cents from every customer at checkout, which goes directly to Carbonfund.org, the leading non-profit provider of carbon offsets. This small change is enough to offset both their shipping and the shipping of their literacy partners.
Founding B Corporation
Better World Books
- Industry: Books
- Product/Services: Online Bookstore
- Location: Alpharetta, GA
- Ownership: Private
- http://www.betterworldbooks.com
Summary:
Certified: July 2007| Points Earned | % Points Available | |
|---|---|---|
| Governance » | 17.4 | 78.9% |
| Workers » | 31.1 | 62.2% |
| Community » | 55.1 | 61.7% |
| Environment » | 22.9 | 67.7% |
| Composite B Score | 126.5 |
- >80 out of 200 is eligible for certification
- >60% points available = Area of excellence
Highlights:
From B Impact Assessment
Environment: 40 million books reused or recycled, saving landfills
Employees: Added 91 Jobs during recession (33% growth); 64% of employees have ownership in the company; >50% of health insurance covered for employees and their families, >25% of new positions were filled in with internal candidates
Community: Over $8MM raised for global literacy and local libraries; >10% suppliers are located in low-income communities