Bohlsen Group Recognized as Best for the World™
By: Vicki Bohlsen, President
In 2015, Bohlsen Group became the first company in Indiana to be B Corp certified; in 2021, we were named a Best for the World™ company. Getting certified has been the single best thing that I have done for Bohlsen Group – not for the recognition, but for the guidance and accountability on everything from day-to-day operations to reaching long-term goals.
Let me explain. B Lab, the organization that handles B Corp certifications, has an assessment tool that is available for free online. I took the B Impact Assessment (BIA) because I wanted to learn more about what socially responsible companies were doing to operate under B Lab’s strict guidelines.
It took Bohlsen Group about eight months to complete the assessment because we did it in chunks. We’d answer a section of questions and then take a break to make internal changes before moving on to the next area. Once we finished the assessment, we found that we were certifiable!
I was so grateful for the guidance that the BIA gave. Moreover, I was proud that we could be formally recognized as a company operating not just for profit, but for people and the planet. I had always intended for Bohlsen Group to be an organization using business as a force for good. Even though I didn’t take the assessment with the intention of getting certified, I decided that Bohlsen Group would formally do so.
I now find that every decision I make centers around the core principles of a B Corp certified company. B Lab offers a ton of great resources and that, along with the B Corp community, has helped me to make intentional decisions that harness the power to use growth and profit as a means to a greater end.
B Lab annually recognizes the top-performing B Corps creating the greatest impact through their businesses. These B Corps are named Best for the World™ as their verified scores in the five impact areas evaluated on the B Impact Assessment (BIA)—community, customers, environment, governance, and workers—are amongst the global top 5% in their corresponding size group.
Flash forward to 2021. Bohlsen Group achieved a top score in the Governance category for overall mission, ethics, accountability, and transparency recognizing that our “best practices are focused on how we engage employees and the community to achieve our mission” and that we “provide employees access to financial information and customers the opportunity to provide feedback.” More details on our impact report can be found here.
Bohlsen Group will continue to build our mission, vision and values into our company bylaws and operations to create positive impact for our employees, communities and the environment.