Reflections on the 2012 B Corp Champions Retreat

By Cameron Crane

When Little Pickle Press first became a B Corporation two years ago, we were passionate about the idea of becoming part of community that was truly making an impact. B Corporations are a new type of corporation that use the power of business to create public benefit. Today, there is a growing community of more than 630 Certified B Corps from 15 countries and 60 industries working together toward 1 unifying goal: to redefine success in business. This past week, leaders from many of these companies gathered together in Half Moon Bay, CA to share ideas and inspire one another at the 2012 B Corp Champions Retreat.

I was fortunate to represent Little Pickle Press at the event. Never before have I met a group so powerful in their values, so congruent in their missions, and so excited about the prospect of engaging with and supporting one another. From the first hour at the California Academy of Sciences, it was clear to both Rana DiOrio and me that everybody in the room was somebody we wanted to get to know. This notion proved true throughout the weekend, as I connected with brilliant people from all different industries, all willing to share their ideas and work toward a brighter future for business.

Here are my three major takeaways from the event:

1. The B Corporation movement is no longer about these 50 states. It is a global movement, reflective of the values of people from all over, that offers us the potential to combine efforts globally to achieve a brighter future.
2. We can B the Change. Together, we have the ability to hold ourselves and other businesses accountable. By supporting existing B Corporations, and encouraging other like-minded companies to join, we can remain on the vanguard of positive change.
3. The success of B Corporations would not be possible without the amazing B Lab team. The inspiring and incredibly humble members of B Lab, who have devoted countless hours to supporting the movement and the companies they have certified, blew me away this weekend. Thank you for making this weekend and, more importantly, this vision possible.

Little Pickle Press looks forward to our future as members of the incredible B Corp community, and I, personally, look forward to continuing to grow my relationships with everyone I met this weekend.

If you are interested in becoming a B Corp, you can learn more here.