5&Vine is a Certified B Corporation
In the corporate world, no one doubts that profits are an essential component of sustainability. Without a viable business model, no amount of good intentions can create a positive societal impact. But can anyone be certain how a company operates throughout its stack beyond a shiny veneer? Its ethics, its actions, its raison d’ê·tre? That’s where B Corp Certification comes in, and I am thrilled to share that 5&Vine has received this commendation after an 18-month long review process.
B Corp Certification means verifying that businesses meet strict standards for social and environmental performance, care about public transparency and legal accountability, and seek to balance profit with purpose. When I founded 5&Vine, it was at the core of what we stand for and central to our mission: empowering socially minded “Challengers” to achieve their full potential and maximize their unfair advantage.
At 5&Vine, we believe that a full-service marketing agency can both exemplify and exude these critical values and align with the growing cohort of impressive B Corp companies: “to accelerate a global shift to redefine success in business and build a more sustainable and inclusive economy.” We are storytellers who care about the why – not just the how and the what.
Bottom line: we are not here to just talk about the importance of this corporate reorientation, but rather to demonstrate it. Like with Greenlight, a fintech company we collaborated with that enables kids to develop their financial literacy through its app and real-world experiences. This modern spin on the age-old issue of educating children about money is now worth +$2.3B – and it’s helping thousands of children and parents ensure their futures are bright.
We know we’re not alone in this mission – and in fact that’s part of what makes this B Corp Certification so special. We now feel like an equal partner standing amongst this impressive community and we’re excited to explore ways to collaborate and cross-pollinate. We see this as an opportunity to further amplify the incredible work being done by B Corp Certified companies and others and ensure their long-term success.
As part of this process, we also signed a declaration of interdependence that states:
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We must be the change we seek in the world.
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All business must be conducted as if people and place mattered.
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Through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.
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To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.
Put another way, we are now part of a vital ecosystem that cares about societal impact, and we can’t wait to ride this wave of momentum.
Finally, on a personal note, this B Corp Certification signifies a full-circle moment for me; in 2008 I moved to the Bay Area and joined New Leaf Paper, one of the world’s first B Corps, as their CMO. To now be leading the team at 5&Vine, informed by the Challenger Playbook I started developing at ecobee, is nothing short of both surreal and humbling.
No one can change the world alone. But together we can create lasting change with greater purpose that doesn’t feel lesser than to any profit.
Thank you for celebrating this true milestone with us at 5&Vine.
