Gifts That Do Good and Bring Joy

B the Change Weekly: December 21, 2018

Delivered on Fridays, B the Change Weekly delivers the most important and most relevant stories about people using business as a force for good. The newsletter features a weekly note from the B the Change team alongside insight and context on the stories we share here on Medium. Below is our latest roundup. To receive these insights directly in your inbox, sign up for B the Change Weekly today. Now onto the good stuff:

(Photo by MUNMUN SINGH on Unsplash)

A small twist on the saying “Every picture tells a story” gets to the heart of B the Change, where we know that every Certified B Corporation has a story to share — an inherent trait of purpose-driven businesses.

This week you’ll find several shining examples in “Give Gifts That Give Back,” which highlights B Corp products that are part of a larger cycle of giving: to the environment, community, supply chain or beyond. It’s just a small sampling of all the good stuff that B Corps create — and of how we can Vote Every Day with our actions, work and purchases by choosing companies we believe in.

As we near the end of this year, the B the Change team is grateful for the opportunity to share these stories of organizations doing good. Cheers to more goodness in 2019!

Gifts That Give Back

If you’re looking for a gift that goes beyond the basics, consider some woah-that’s-cool products with purpose from Certified B Corporations. Each purchase is part of a larger cycle of giving, as these businesses protect the environment or devote a portion of proceeds to programs that help others in their community, supply chain or beyond.

We’ve collected ideas on B the Change to help you find a gift that does good and brings joy to those on your holiday list. Here’s sampling of featured B Corps:

Jelt Belt: These stylish, sporty belts made from recycled water bottles are extra-grippy thanks to an inner gel. Jelt donates a portion of its sales to organizations that support veterans, youth and the environment, and participates in the Montana Correctional Enterprises program, which allows incarcerated women to develop job skills and confidence.

West Paw: At its Bozeman, Montana, factory, West Paw uses eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes to ensure dogs and humans stay happy and healthy. Its dog beds can be recycled through the Join the Loop program, and more than 15 million plastic bottles have been reused to create IntelliLoft, a fiber in dog toys and beds.

Zen of Slow Cooking: A business born from a cooking blog that initially put a contemporary spin on slow-cooker meals now markets its spice blends online and at stores across the U.S. Named for the low-stress “zen” effect of cooking with a slow cooker, the business launched by two women helps employ adults with developmental disabilities, who package the Zen of Slow Cooking spice blends.

This Is for My Girls

More and more, people are looking for sustainable, conscientious gifts that make a difference — something that won’t sit around, gathering dust and creating clutter. Ellevate Network, a Certified B Corporation, pulled together a list of gifts that will help women elevate their careers, change career trajectory or band together to raise their voices for equality.

From memberships to books to co-working spaces, these gifts are as brilliant and supportive as they are (and bonus points for ethical). What better gift could you give than helping the women you love reach for the stars? Check B the Change for the full scoop.

Employee Ownership + B Corp = The Right Brew

From its start in 1991, New Belgium Brewing Company was founded on the belief that work could be fun and fulfilling. Its distinctive culture — beer, bikes, fun, teamwork and stewardship — has adjusted as the company has grown while maintaining the feel of a tight, supportive community.

That’s a big reason why it seemed only natural for New Belgium to adopt innovative business designs — such as becoming a Certified B Corporation and creating an employee stock ownership plan. As co-founder Kim Jordan says, “The people who are best suited to take this company into the future and maintain its core values are the workers.”

On B the Change, Jordan and others at New Belgium share why employee ownership was a natural for the fourth-largest U.S. craft brewery.

Book of the Week

If you have a specific suggestion, let us know at info@bthechange.com with the subject line “book recommendation.”

Sustainable Happiness

By Sarah van Gelder and the staff of YES! Magazine

“I love this beautiful compilation of voices reminding us that happiness isn’t something we ‘find.’ It’s what we become as we align our lives with a thriving community and life-giving Earth.” — Frances Moore Lappé, co-founder of the Small Planet Institute and author of 18 books.

We’re bombarded by messages telling us that more, bigger and better things are the keys to happiness. But after we pile up the stuff and pile on the hours, we end up exhausted and broke on a planet full of trash. Sarah van Gelder and her colleagues at YES! Magazine have been exploring the meaning of real happiness for years. In this much-needed volume, they marshal research, in-depth essays and personal stories that lead to a life-altering conclusion: What makes us truly happy are the depth of our relationships, the quality of our communities, the contribution we make through the work we do and the renewal we receive from a thriving natural world.