In pursuit of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system, B Lab stands in solidarity and grief with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community after this week’s hate crime took the lives of eight people, including six women, and targeted Asian American-owned businesses. As Ivy Teng Lei of B Corp Exygy shared in a recent B The Change article, we must continue the work to dismantle white supremacy, end racist violence, and foster racial equity.
 

---

The business shutdowns, school closures, and social disruptions that began a year ago amid the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a toll on many of us. In a recent survey, a large majority of people around the world say their workplace well-being has declined in the last year as they report growing work demands, new home-life challenges, and struggles with work-life separation. U.S. workers who don’t have access to health insurance forgo even routine health care as they are less likely to be able to afford the price of coverage on their own — and are more likely to face financial consequences of future illness.

For Certified B Corporations and other businesses that value strong employee engagement, the last year has required flexibility, creativity, and resilience — showing grace and remembering our humanity amid new pressures, realities, and health challenges. By working with and for a common purpose — business as a force for good — B Corps and the people who power them can maintain their focus on a healthier future for all stakeholders, as shown in the articles below.

In community,

B The Change  

Did a friend forward this to you? Subscribe here.

While public and political momentum are growing for expanded access to health coverage through the U.S. government, companies continue to be the main source of insurance for many Americans. For B Corps that include employees as stakeholders, providing health insurance is part of doing business better — and some go a step further by offering the benefit to all employees, including people who work part time.
 

B Corp Indigenous PACT has a mission to create health equity for Native Americans by addressing access to care, improving health outcomes, and strengthening tribal finances. In this B The Change article, Kurt Brenkus of Indigenous PACT shares how the B Corp acted on this three-fold mission to help tribal health care systems — and tribal governments — respond to the devastating toll of COVID-19.
 

B Lab and other partners are presenting Shift 2021, a virtual event April 14-16 featuring impact leaders and action-oriented workshops. This new collaborative virtual event will feature more than 75 impact leaders sharing engaging content in 36 live sessions, plus networking opportunities with over 1,000 event attendees. B The Change readers can get a 20% discount off the ticket price: Use code BCORP20 when registering.
 

By going beyond the concept of “work-life balance” and viewing work as a way to express herself, Darshita Gillies of B Corp Maanch identified her purpose and life’s work. On B The Change, she shares her 5P framework to help others identify their purpose to achieve and create a thriving professional environment.
 

Here’s your chance to catch up on recent articles:

• B Corps Doing Business Better: Enhancing Workplace Wellness by Offering Health Insurance to Part-Time Employees: By Bridging the Coverage Gap for Workers, B Corps Acknowledge the Value of Employees’ Mental and Physical Health

• Mothers, Wives, and Workshop Owners: Women Artisans in Kenya: How Women-Led Startup SOKO Empowers Low-Income Artisans Through Technology, Skills, and Fashion

• Living a Life of Purpose: Going Beyond Work-Life Balance to Find Your Life’s Work: How the 5P Framework Can Help Anchor Purposeful Pursuits

• To B or Not to B, That Is the Question: Why It Means More to Get a B (Corp) Grade

• Companies Show Rising Support for Public Benefit Corporate Governance: B Corp Amalgamated Bank Adds Environmental and Societal Commitments to Corporate Organization Certificate

• The Most Powerful Tool to Save Yourself (and Your Team) from Burnout: Use the Me-We-World Approach to Say ‘Purposeful Noes’

• Indigenous PACT: Serving Tribal Health Care During COVID-19 and Beyond: B Corp Pursues Systemic Change and Health Equity for Native Americans

• B Corps Doing Business Better: Building Community and Camaraderie Through Employee Volunteer Days: By Providing Paid Time Off for Volunteering and Workplace Opportunities to Donate, B Corps Give Back to Their Communities