More Mileage Series: Impact Movements & Organizational Frameworks

On today’s episode of the More Mileage Mini-series, Graham and Kyle go over a variety of impact movements and organizational frameworks that companies can utilize to express their corporate social responsibility. Impact movements and organizational frameworks help connect like-minded individuals and all serve different purposes. The challenge is finding the ones that work best for you. Listen in as co-hosts, Graham and Kyle, define and discuss certain frameworks that you can consider as you continue on your purpose-driven journey.

Listen to this episode here!

Questions? Contact us at hello@seachangeltd.com.

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[Kyle] Hey there again, Kyle and Graham, welcome back to our More Mileage Miniseries. This is as you know, by now a collection of bonus shorts as part of The Stream of Conscience Podcast, as co-founders of a business impact and philanthropy consulting firm, we encounter a lot of terms, concepts, and tactics that we think could use some demystify.

[Graham] These episodes will be rapid fire. So don't hesitate to reach out if you wanna learn more, find us on LinkedIn and @www.seachangeltd.com. In the last episode, we were talking about corporate foundations and donor advised funds. Today we're gonna be covering impact movements and organizational frameworks.

[Kyle] Yeah. So just to create a bridge between this idea of corporate social responsibility and a broader movement of business as a force for good, you know, we've really been using CSR as a proxy. I think for this idea that businesses are seeking out a way to express that. And, and now we want to, I think expand the definition of CSR, corporate social responsibility.

And so there are these movements buildings. Graham, would you maybe share just about what are they and where do they come from?

[Graham] Yeah. So I think that it's really important to recognize that there are a number of frameworks and networks out there, right? Like, as we're thinking about businesses, engaging in corporate social responsibility or impact oriented practices. You know, a lot of times I can feel a little isolating, perhaps, you know, a little bit like you're on an island trying to navigate it on your own.

And the big important takeaway from this episode is to recognize that you're not alone, that there are a lot of organizations that are doing a lot of amazing work, and there's a variety of frameworks out there that help connect like-minded individuals to one another, you know, there's so different ways to create impact.

And the big question is, you know, how do you, how do you find those organizations? How do you find the like-minded individuals to, to do that? Because not all of the paths to purpose are always clearly marked. Yeah. So, you know, we want to kind of talk through a couple of them and, and the first that, that I'll touch on here is, is B Corp.

You know, we talk a lot about B Corp from a standpoint of the work that we're doing, because it's in my mind, one of the best organizations to be utilizing their system of metrics. You know, so if you're looking for social impact metrics, corporate impact metrics around the good work that you're doing, they have a really well built out robust system of, of KPIs, metrics and information that really starts to lift the hood on your organization.

And so gives a really in depth, deep dive into areas and opportunities where there may be you know, places to celebrate the good work you're doing and areas to be focused on improvement.

Conscious capitalism is another an organization bringing together CEOs and leaders in purpose driven businesses.

1% for the planet is a similar organization trying to bring together businesses that are, that. Believing that they, that they should be putting an investment back into our environment. And they, and all organizations that are part of, 1% for the planet donate 1% of their revenue back to environmental causes.

There's also benefit corporations organizations that have decided to go and create a specific legal structure you know, so similar to a C Corp or S Corp but in 37 states you can actually incorporate as a benefit corporation. And then there's also one that's sort of near and dear to my heart that emanates right here outta the middle of everywhere that Do More Good Movement, another organization that really tries to help connect individuals to the various different frameworks educational components that are really important to really helping connect businesses to one another that are looking to do more good.

[Kyle] Absolutely. And Graham you've played a significant leadership role in that having co-founded it alongside Jay Wilkinson of Firespring.

Tell us more, so talk about, I guess, the process of do more good and how that, that vision has come to life and how it kind of brings, I think together a lot of these movements for business leaders around the country,

[Graham] Yeah, so, so Do More Good is really here to be serving as the last mile. And so we want to just, as we are sort of playing out here, we, we wanna really help connect individuals to the frameworks and movements that are going to be nearest and dearest to their heart.

You know, finding the frameworks, finding the movements, finding the resources that are gonna be most the fellow travelers, right? The fellow travelers, as we like to say that are going to be you know, most aligned. The, the process, the business model, the, the direction that the organization is looking to move.

[Kyle] I love it. So this, this is maybe a little bit of a branding challenge in our industry, right? The B Corp and the benefit Corp. Can you just for once in all, once, and for all dispel the, the confusion around this, what is a B Corp versus what is the benefit corporation? Are they the same different?

[Graham] Yeah, so they're different, they're connected, but they're different.

So B Corp is, is a, it actually comes from a third party nonprofit organization called B Lab that certifies business entities, similar to you'd certify as a lead certified green building or us fair trade. There's a third party certification. And when you go through that process, you actually get the stamp of approval to become a B Corp.

Benefit corporation, as I was saying, sounds similar, but is different. So the benefit corporation is actually the legal structure. So similar to an LLC, a C Corp, an S Corp benefit corporation is actually the way that your. Incorporates at the foundation. And so you know, there are, there are differences there, but also again, I think the big moment here is, or the big point here is that there are com communities around.

Each of these different frameworks, right? So if you're a B Corp there's organizations there, if there's, if you're a benefit corporation, there's ways to connect into those groups as well. So, you know, go seek out the organizations, go seek out the movements and frameworks that are gonna be most aligned with you.

If you're interested in learning more, we're happy to connect you to, to organizations and help, you know, provide additional resources around that. So feel free to drop us a line. Give me a call on my cell: 402-430-6432.

Or contact us via email. at hello@seachangeltd.com.

[Kyle] Or you can reach out to me as well: 402-430-1328.