Okay March, you win. No Expo West, no sports, no St. Patrick’s Day parades. But you know what Coronavirus can’t cancel? B Corp Month. A month where our global B Corp community rallies together to educate and raise awareness around what it means to use business as a force for good. Given the unprecedented state of uncertainty around the world, now seems like a pretty good time for everyone, including creative agencies like Vermilion, to put that idea into action.
I’m not here to lecture you about what it takes to be a B Corp. I’m here to show you how the B Corp ideals inspire how you make business decisions. Not just during a global pandemic, but every day.
And hey, if this inspires you to do that thing you’ve been wanting to do to help your favorite neighborhood restaurant stay on their feet, even better.
THE B CORP IDEALS AND HOW YOU CAN LIVE THEM
Workers
The nuts and bolts: What can your company do to contribute to your employees’ financial, physical, professional, and social well-being? Like a number of other companies, Vermilion went fully remote well before Colorado’s statewide stay-at-home policy. Small, proactive decisions like this reinforce the value our company places on our team’s safety and well-being.
Who’s living it: In response to Coronavirus, Starbucks rolled out its new mental-health benefit program earlier than expected. Beginning April 6, employees will have greater access to mental health tools, including unlimited access to self-care apps as well as 20 free in-person or virtual therapy sessions.
Environment
The nuts and bolts: What can your company do to improve its overall environmental stewardship? To better support employees commuting to our downtown Boulder office, and to do our part in reducing carbon emissions, we offer everyone EcoPasses, which provides unlimited rides on most RTD transit systems.
Who’s living it: For 15 years, our partners at CleanWell have been delivering powerful plant-based cleaning products so people can fight germs without harsh chemicals. At a time when sanitizing and disinfecting has never quite literally never been more crucial, they’re a welcome alternative. Pandemic or no pandemic, CleanWell will continue to live their mission every day: to “clean” up clean with people-, pet-, and planet-friendly products.
Customers
The nuts and bolts: What can your company do to improve the value that you create for your direct customers and the consumers of your products or services? We’re in the client/service business, and as a creative agency, we are the service. As a service that our clients rely on for strategy and support, we proactively communicate both our availability and ability — not only to continue work in progress, but to nimbly pivot where needed. In this time of crises, our clients’ needs will shift, and so will our scope and deliverables.
Who’s living it: The effects of Coronavirus are far reaching. Take college students, for example. As more and more college and university campuses started to close for safety measures, many college students were forced out of their dorms. U-Haul stepped up by offering all college students 30 days of storage when they rent a U-Haul truck or trailer while they sort out where to go next.
Governance
The nuts and bolts: What can your company do to enhance policies and practices pertaining to your mission, ethics, accountability and transparency? Since our inception 40 years ago, Vermilion’s mission has always been to Grow the Good. We live this by supporting partners and clients that are mission-driven, as well. Partnering with brands and businesses that reflect our values is an honor, a privilege, and a source of inspiration for our team.
Who’s living it: Not every brand or company has to pull a strategic 180 during times like these. For some, like our climate activist partners at Protect Our Winters, it’s imperative to stay the course because climate change IS our new normal.
Community
The nuts and bolts: What can your company do to contribute to the economic and social well-being of the communities in which it operates? As a member of the Boulder business community, we believe it’s our responsibility to use our creative prowess to nurture community karma. So much so that it’s one of our company values. As long as we’re part of this community, we’ll do everything in our power to support it.
Who’s living it: Critically acclaimed chef and restaurateur José Andrés didn’t hesitate when it came to helping his communities. After making the decision to close all of his restaurants for the safety of his employees and patrons, Andrés transformed some of his spaces into Community Kitchens to offer to-go food for locals.
YES, MARCH SURE HAS BEEN A LONG YEAR.
And we’re all not-so-patiently waiting for the day we can resume our “normal” lives again. But if this month has proven anything, it’s how instinctively brands and businesses employ the B Corp ideals in support of our global community. Not for profit, but for purpose. We may want to forget a lot of things about this month, but that’s a lesson we can carry into the future.
Feeling inspired by the B Corp ideals? Looking for a way to give back to your community? Send us a note and let’s chat! Vermilion is privileged to work with many social impact change-makers — in the Boulder, Colorado area and beyond.