Why Send 123 Decided To #BtheChange

When Send 123 officially launched in February of 2016, we were already familiar with the shared value associated with becoming a Certified B Corp.

Our founder, Jeff Golfman, has been an eco entrepreneur for the past 25 years – his previous venture was a Certified B Corp for several years.

Becoming a B Corp was strategically part of the plan for success, as the missions and values showcased by member companies directly coincide with our own. Being a sustainably minded startup, we sought to operate along a company-wide triple-bottom-line: people, planet, and profit. B Corps can be defined as companies that meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, legal accountability, and transparency.

To become a Certified B Corporation, B Lab (the nonprofit that certifies and supports B Corporations) conducted a rigorous evaluation of Send 123 and determined our products met the comprehensive performance standards to qualify for certification. Now, unlike traditional corporations, Send 123 will join other Certified B Corporations and will be legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their employees, suppliers, community, consumers, and environment. B Corp has created a proprietary survey in order to conduct their “B Impact Assessment” – the B Lab tool that aids in the ultimatum on prospective member companies.

These are standards that Send 123 always kept up front during its inception. By developing the Send 123 Eco Score, our products surpass social and environmental criteria for conventional office products that other companies rarely (or, have just recently started…) take into account.

We support an open hiring policy, operate in a shared workspace with several other startups, have a strict code of conduct, and are quite selective about the manufacturers we carry. We also allow our customers to donate one percent of every order to one of seven charities.

However, one of our main joys is having access to the vast network of B Corps sharing a similar vision - to B the Change. This is a truly invaluable asset and recognition within the community is strong and supportive. A huge marketing feature of this digital network (known to members as the B Hive) is the ability to shares discounts with other member companies. With the launch of B Mag coming this summer, this network will have even greater reach due to this new cross-platform aspect.

Being a Certified B Corp member means a renowned community – but it goes deeper than that. Membership drives a systemic change within the business world. Like-minded companies striving for a common outcome: aspiring to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Take for example the passing of HB2 in North Carolina; 1700 B Corps have withdrawn from events within the State. Now, if that isn't using business as a force for good, against intolerance...we don't know what is.

We proudly display the Certified B Corp logo in its footer with the understanding that this symbol of trust allows our customers the comfort of knowing we value business being a force for good.