We had the opportunity to host a large group of business owners last month who were at all different stages of their journey in exploring or becoming a B Corp.  Our B Corp journey was recent enough that I remember how many of those in attendance felt.  It’s a mix of early optimism (‘we’re a great company, so I’m sure we’ll have no problem with this’), followed by reverence for the assessment tool (‘wow, this is an amazing representation of what it means to be a socially responsible company’), transforming quickly into the realization of the extreme challenge ahead (‘wow, this is going to take some serious effort to achieve’).

We all know that nothing worth having is easily had, and as much as I wanted to become a B Corp by “acing” the entrance exam, I quickly realized that this was not another marketing label, but an authentic and aspirational system.  A system that’s not an afternoon activity, but rather a lifelong ambition.  A system to push those of us with a vision beyond where we are today to become business bricoleurs: creating tomorrow’s best version of our companies with what we have at our fingertips today.

Okay, enough of the philosophical ponderings. The two things many companies in the early stages of becoming a B Corp want to know is, “How long did it take? Was it worth it?”

Timeline

We filled out our quick-impact assessment in April of 2015, and our certification was finalized in February of 2016.  There were a lot of steps in between, but the people at B-Lab offered an amazing amount of support as we went through the process.

Was it worth it?

Simple Answer: Yes, I would go through this again in a heartbeat.

Detailed Answer: We have seen a very meaningful and measurable response from all of our stakeholders. Employees are proud to work for a company that cares about them as much as it cares about profits. Customers now have a deeper understanding of Deltec stands for, and in turn our bar has been raised on how best to engage customers.  We have had twice as many interviews, articles, and stories this year than we had in all of last year, allowing our story to be told to more and more people. We have had more qualified applicants for new positions than ever before.  And we’ve codified and preserved our triple bottom line values into the company’s DNA.

I believe that a note that we received from a customer sums all this up nicely: “I was just reading the article about your B Corp certification.  Congratulations!  That’s a huge step to take and I find it very meaningful. It tells me a lot about what’s important to your company.  To be honest, I was starting to think about [Company X] simply from a cheap-fast-and-easy perspective, but when I saw that article it reminded me about what I’m really hoping to do with this community.  And it won me back.  Cheap, fast, and easy is so much of what has gotten humanity into its current mess.  You being willing to go the extra mile to try to do it right reminded me that I can, too.”

It’s only through breaking down everything we do and putting it all back together with the guidance of the B-Corp process that we were able to get to the point where we are today.  Who’s next?

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The assessment covers an array of topics, and many of our key points are things you’ve heard us brag about before: our renewable-energy powered operation, the reduced energy use of our homes, etc.  However, there are a few things we’ve done as part of our certification that you may not have known.

1.  Housing for the Community

Last year we donated over 30 pallets of usable scrap materials to the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.  This material went up for sale in the Asheville Habitat Re-Store, whose proceeds directly fund Habitat’s community housing programs.

2.  Housing for All Creatures

In 2017, we began a partnership with a local nonprofit, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, to provide multiple Deltec structures for their visionary animal sanctuary project .  The sanctuary will have a new energy efficient veterinary clinic, multiple buildings for dogs and cats to expand their no-kill shelter capacity and housing for volunteers to stay on site.  In addition to offering non-profit discounts and project management during their integrated design process, we offer regular meeting space at our office for Brother Wolf to use for their fundraising and community engagement meetings.

3.  Housing For Endangered Species

We have even partnered with local environmental non-profits and the NC Wildlife Resource Commission to use our scrap lumber to build (high quality, wind-resistant) nest boxes for barn owns and for the Carolina Northern Flying squirrel, a federally endangered species. Check out latest interview with one of the new Deltec Homeowner.

4.  Supporting Education in Building Practices

We have created an endowed scholarship fund through a local community college that brings one student each year through a construction management program—teaching a new generation better ways to build. In addition, we regularly tour their students from construction management and sustainable technology classes through our facilities. We have also worked with Appalachian State University students on their Race to Zero competition through the Department of Energy.

5.  Meals on Wheels

We give back to our Asheville community in a number of ways. Our employees have been driving for Meals on Wheels of Buncombe County route for more than 12 years, donating 100+ hours each year to help our community’s elderly stay in their homes by making access to food easier.

The post 5 Things You Didn’t Know about Our BCorp Certification appeared first on Deltec Homes.

“The B Corp values align with what our company has valued since 1968. We’re passionate about not only creating a better product, but a better community, environment and world,” said Steve Linton, president of Deltec Homes.

In order to become certified, we had to meet stringent performance requirements conducted by B Lab, the nonprofit that certifies and supports B Corporations, and must be reevaluated every two years. In addition, unlike traditional corporations, Certified B Corporations are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their employees, suppliers, community, consumers and the environment.

“The true measure of our success goes beyond a profit,” said Linton. “We’re so proud to be the first in our industry to receive B Corp Certification and we hope it encourages others to soon follow.”

Some highlights from our performance report:

• All homes build using 100% renewable energy
• 99.9% of materials used to build homes are made in USA
•  >75% of homes built to exceed energy code by 30% or more
•  >80% of waste diverted from landfill
• >20% reduction in energy use at company facilities in 2015

With just over 1,600 Certified B Corporations® from more than 120 industries and 40 countries, we’re proud to be placed in a coveted community with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Patagonia, Etsy, New Belgium and Ben & Jerry’s.

Learn more about the global movement using business as a force for good:

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