Common Interests recognized as a “Best For The World™” B Corp for excellence beyond just profit

We are excited to announce that Common Interests has been named a Best for the World™ B Corp for the 5th time in a row in recognition of our exemplary performance beyond commercial metrics. Ranking in the top 5% of all B Corps in our size group worldwide for sustainable business practices, we have earned this honor because of initiatives such as our sliding fee scale, which bases our hourly fees on our clients’ ability to pay, our lack of an investment minimum, and our commitment to democratizing access to impact investing & financial planning.

This honor is the culmination of many years of work, and is the first time since we moved to Vanderbilt Financial Group in 2017 that the work we’ve put in to raise our scores has been reflected. B Corps are required to recertify every 3 years, and our most recent recertification, which began at the end of 2019 and was completed in February 2020 (which explains why we haven’t had time to talk about it until now), resulted in a 39.5% increase to our scores. We’re extremely proud that our new scores (which you can view here), continue to keep us as a Best for the World B Corp, even as the criteria for this honor have tightened.

The Best for the World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes Certified B Corporations, which are for-profit companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today there are more than 4,000 Certified B Corporations across 77 countries and 153 industries, unified by one common goal: transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.

B Corps meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. The B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall positive impact of the company that stands behind it—like Common Interests. Using the B Impact Assessment, B Lab evaluates how a company’s operations and business model impact its workers, community, environment, and customers. To achieve the B Corp Certification, a company must achieve a score of at least 80 points on the assessment.

 Best for the World is a special program for the B Corp community, and we’re thrilled to resume it after pausing the program in 2020 due to COVID-19. This year’s Best for the World companies are operating at the very top of their class, excelling in creating positive impact for their stakeholders, including their workers, communities, customers and the environment. We’re proud of the community of stakeholder-driven businesses we’ve cultivated over the last 15 years; together we’re marching toward our collective vision of an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet.” 

~Juan Pablo Larenas, Executive Director of B Lab Global.

More than 800 B Corps from more than 50 countries were named to the 2021 Best for the World lists, including 4G Capital, KeepCup, Natura, The Big Issue Group, TOMS, Too Good To Go, and Patagonia. The 2021 Best for the World lists are determined based on the verified B Impact Assessments of Certified B Corporations. The full lists are available on https://bcorporation.net/.