The Honest Company Cares for Families [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

As parents themselves, co-founders Christopher Gavigan and Jessica Alba created The Honest Company because they recognized the need for a children’s products company that is trustworthy and honestly safe. Taking tips from environmental health research, the Honest Company creates stylish, non-toxic products that parents can trust.

Products are affordable and save families time and energy with online order and
delivery!

What makes Honest really unique is their transparency to customers. When you look at their website and blog, you can feel a sense of compassion and understanding. These people know what they’re talking about because they’ve lived it. Click on a video and you can actually hear the co-founders’ voices describing their goals for the company, and I think that connection alone makes them successful. The Honest Company is also not shy about responding to customer feedback. In fact, they’ve recently made their baby wipes thicker and softer based on specific requests from customers!

The Honest Company is very invested in their social media. They have over 92, 000 Facebook fans and a decorated Pinterest profile to match. These create great avenues for open communication with customers and are part of what makes The Honest Company so honest!

READ MORE: The Honest Company B Corp Profile

London 2012: Most Sustainable Olympic Games To Date [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

Okay, so we’re cheating a bit on this week’s Corporate Conscious Wednesday post. This week, we feature not a company working to alleviate social and environmental struggle but an entire event. We mean, of course, the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England!

It was London’s goal to create the most sustainable Olympics yet, and they’ve happily achieved that with the 2012 Summer Olympics. In the areas of greener structures, eco-friendly packaging for food (Coca-Cola and McDonald’s are two stand-out brands adhering to the Olympics’ guidelines), and facilitated transportation to Olympic events, London has done its part in the movement toward more sustainable Games.

Of course, there is some controversy on the “green-ness” of the London Olympics. For instance, though bikes and fuel-efficient taxis have been in use for transportation throughout London, the Games draw spectators from all over the world who will use less-efficient means of transportation to actually get into the city. Even if goals were not entirely met, the efforts of this year’s Games have set the bar for further improvement.

Have you seen some of the buildings at the Olympics this year? Both well-designed and functional, here’s a quick list of the 6 most sustainable structures of the 2012 Summer Olympics. (Wish I could see these in person!)

The 6000-seat London Velodrome uses natural ventilation and minimal artificial light in its structure, and as part of the Velopark bicycling center, the Velodrome houses a sleek curved track within similarly sleek walls of wood paneling.

Next, the Basketball Arena makes its mark by being the Olympics’ largest temporary venue. Designed specifically to be taken down and reused (possibly in the next 4 years for the 2016 Summer Olympics!)

There’s more to the Aquatic Centre than it’s appropriately constructed wave-inspired ceilings.  It was made of precast concrete, allowing builders to reduce emissions during construction. Also, the stands are made of recyclable products and most of the materials used to construct the interior of the building were delivered by train, keeping transportation emissions at a minimum.

Shining like a new penny, lighting efficiency, rainwater harvesting structures, and recycled copper materials make the “Copper Box” a sustainable treasure of the Olympic Games. Called “one of the most interesting and sustainable Olympic venues,” this building will lend itself to local community events after the Olympics come to a close.

Then, we have the Shooting Ranges at the Royal Artillery Barracks. These venues were built temporarily for the Games and are meant to be recycled at the end of the summer. If they didn’t look strange enough next to the Royal Artillery Barracks’ 200-year old frame, the Shooting Ranges feature various openings similar to octopus suckers that are used to ease natural ventilation throughout the structure!

The Energy Centre rounds out this list (as it should!). Jokingly called “the least sexy of the Olympic venues,” the Energy Centre is a LEGO-like building used to provide heat, water, and power to the this year’s Olympics. This crucial structure can increase its capacity as needed by the city.

READ MORE: Awesome Olympics-themed evaluation of London’s green efforts!

So, what do YOU think of labeling London as the “Most Sustainable Olympics?”

According to GreenBiz, London will carry the notable title until 2016, when Rio de Janeiro plans to out-green this year’s Games. Hey, the world can only benefit from countries fighting to become most sustainable, right?!

Experience the Joy of Baking with King Arthur Flour [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

I’m sure this company is not new to most of our readers!

King Arthur Flour is a 200-year old company (America’s oldest) that is 100% employee-owned.

Not every company can survive with complete employee ownership, but King Arthur Flour is thriving. They have a great employee culture that keeps their system running smoothly. Since coming under employee ownership, King Arthur Flour has boosted its revenue and has grown its U.S. availability from 11 states to 50 states. They also hold frequent “town hall” meetings to keep employees well-informed of company strategy and business endeavors.

Named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the Top Small Workplaces of 2008, King Arthur Flour has taken advantage of social media to grow their business into today’s society.

Have you seen this commercial?

King Arthur Flour was recently featured in a Google Plus ad, showcasing both their dedication to community and their love of baking! Called “America’s #1 baking resource” by resident writer, PJ Hamel, King Arthur Flour has used Google Plus to connect with customers. She even hosts a Google Plus hangout to meet fans and teach new recipes!

Their commitment to community doesn’t stop there! King Arthur Flour employs a large portion of the local population in Vermont and buys resources in bulk from local distributors. Though they are a national brand, King Arthur Flour values their local ties and wants to continue to support these local businesses.

And on top of that… King Arthur Flour offers its employees 40 hours paid time to volunteer for any non-profit of their choice! WOW! It’s so great to see such distinguished companies giving back to the community.

Proud to be a BCorp company, King Arthur Flour will continue to operate in the future with the goal to be as socially and environmentally responsible as possible.

Dive into the Ethical Ocean: Online Shopping for the Socially-Conscious [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

Ethical Ocean is an online shopping destination that brings brands together for a one-stop, socially-conscious shopping experience. Ethical Ocean splits its product list into three categories: people, animals, and environment. Once you create a profile, you identify which cause is most important to you (i.e. people’s rights) and you have a customized shopping homepage dedicated to your cause of choice! Use their recommendations to guide you to your next purchase or search through their catalog to find what you’re looking for.

Just like any other online shopping site, products supported by Ethical Ocean are fashionable, practical, trendy, and interesting! What makes them different is their dedication to helping the planet by promoting ethical products.

The story of how Ethical Ocean became the company it is today is very inspiring. They started off with high expectations of growth and began partnering with many different companies and bringing in thousands of new products. Though this growth was great for profits, Ethical Ocean realized that some of these products didn’t quite live up to their mission—they were made with good intentions, but the quality was still missing. Ethical Ocean knew this would not hold up, so in 2012, they sliced their list of offered brands from 500 to 200, leaving room for only the best of the best. And their productivity didn’t slow one bit.

When you have shopping to do, check Ethical Ocean first. Their products are great for the socially-conscious shopper looking to make a difference while looking great!

Sign up today.

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Staying Clean and Cool with Method Cleaning Products [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

This week, we’re featuring method cleaning products, also known as the very first people against dirty. Now, if that doesn’t grab your attention, I don’t know what will.

Method is an innovative, fast-growing, privately-owned company that is reshaping the cleaning world with stylishly clean products that are 0% toxic and 100% cool.

Read more about method on their website

As if their story and purpose weren’t enough to make you want to clear Target shelves of all method products, their unique designs and sweet smells are also paired with hilarious lines like “High five a rainbow” and “Give your nose a hug.” Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, the masterminds behind method, have created a respectable company with a great reputation, and we couldn’t be happier to promote their products!

If you think your home could use some detox, method can help! Method is great for the planet, your home, and your good mood!

Check out method on Twitter to see for yourself! @methodtweet

Tom’s of Maine Labels Sustainability [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

Inspired by this article on GreenBiz, our Corporate Conscious Wednesday feature this week is Tom’s of Maine!

Their line of sustainable personal care products breaks the mold of eco-friendly marketing by conveying it’s message and purpose right on the label with 6 simple points.

1. No Animal Testing
2. Web address to ingredient lists
3. Value of sustainable practices
4. No artificial flavors, colors, etc.*
5. Commitment to recycling, and finally,
6. Donation of 10% to “human and environmental goodness”

*They even have a section of their website called “Not In Our Products” that makes it easier for customers to see what’s left out! (This is especially great for consumers with allergies or distaste for artificial or harmful ingredients.)

Tom’s of Maine exudes responsible business in their commitment to creating sustainable products and respecting their customers needs. Mark Dobrovolny, Director of Research and Product Development says, “Every well-run business needs strategic goals – we just believe that those goals need to include things like sustainability as well as profitability.” We think so too! 

Check out their “Reason for Being” for a deeper look inside Tom’s of Maine!

Do you know of any other companies who promote their eco-friendly efforts like Tom’s of Maine? Let us know!

Couchsurfing: A New Wave of Travel Opportunities [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

Looking for a way to spend your two weeks vacation this year? While investigating summer travel destinations, I came across this website (and great travel opportunity), Couchsurfing.org! Couchsurfing is a site that allows users to either open up their homes to travelers or to crash on a stranger’s couch in countries all over the world. It makes for a unique travel experience, seeing the world through the eyes of locals, and it is the perfect way to meet new and interesting people you never would have met otherwise!

Once you get over the fact that you’re staying with a complete stranger in a strange town where nobody knows you, this sounds like a lot of fun! And it’s perfect for travel buffs looking to save some money along the way. Now, I’ve read a lot of reviews on Couchsurfing, and it turns out that being afraid of strangers is hardly a concern! Couchsurfing.org has a verification method, where past Couchsurfers can review their hosts and give piece of mind to the next visitors. Basically, if you were in danger, you’d know it. To read one user’s eventful account of their own experience with Couchsurfing, click here.

Saving money  may bring people in, but the experiences and the relationships keep them coming. Couchsurfing.org has recently become a B Corporation, using their worldwide connections to promote social change and tolerance, while giving their members the opportunity to create unique memories with new friends. This makes them a great candidate for B Corp’s “socially responsible business” model. However, there has been a slight controversy over Couchsurfing.org’s becoming a B Corp because the company dynamics have been slightly altered. Click here if you’re interested in getting a little background on the issue. No matter your personal opinion in the debate, you can’t deny the social benefits CouchSurfing brings to those who would prefer to spend their vacation time touring a new place with a trustworthy companion rather than a generic travel book.

New Leaf Paper Sets the Bar for Paper Industry [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

New Leaf Paper is a paper company located in San Francisco, CA that strives to have very little environmental impact and inspires others to do the same. They provide high-quality paper made of recycled contents that maintains the aesthetic value of the paper products we’ve come to know and love.

When you visit New Leaf’s website, you see a running count at the top of the page indicating the amounts of trees, water, and more that have been saved with New Leaf Paper products since it was founded in 1998. Their commitment to sustainability inspires customers and other paper companies to reduce their environmental impact to secure a greater ecological future. What more could you ask for in a B Corp company?

Sometimes recycled paper can have that rustic, brown paper bag look to it, and I like to flaunt my commitment to recycling as much as the next person, but New Leaf Paper’s products are actually very well-designed and impressively inexpensive. If you are a lover of new office supplies like I am, then you should definitely check out their site!

President and Co-founder Jeff Medelsohn said something really important about the paper industry. He said, “I can’t imagine anyone starting a paper company that did not integrate sustainability into their plans.” Now, many years after the creation of New Leaf, sustainability is not just a great idea for a paper company; it is an essential element to the paper industry, and that’s something to be proud of.

Have you ever bought New Leaf Paper products? Let us know what you think!

SustainU Promotes Social Responsibility Through Clothing Production and Unique Partnerships [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

 

SustainU is a collegiate clothing company that works to provide jobs and make a positive ecological impact on the world. All of the clothing produced by SustainU is manufactured in the U.S. If that fact doesn’t strike you, check out this statistic: Only 2% of clothing purchased in the United States is actually manufactured in the United States!

As their name suggests, SustainU values their efforts to promote sustainable methods of clothing production. They are reducing their environmental impact daily by producing clothing made of 100% recycled materials and keeping cross-country travel at a minimum, reducing fuel emissions.

While SustainU cares about their personal impact on the world, they also bring attention to important issues outside of themselves, which affect the larger population. The SustainU blog features stories related to worldwide labor concerns, the ecological movement, and how we can change to better ourselves and the world. By sharing this kind of information, SustainU proves that it believes in the worldwide sustainable movement beyond their own ecological efforts, which is both honorable and unexpected.

SustainU has a really great business model, but what makes them most unique is their partnership with Industries for the Blind. We already knew that SustainU worked to create jobs in the U.S. and reduce labor demand overseas, but their commitment to providing opportunities for blind employees makes their mission all the more important.

Chris Yura, SustainU’s Founder and CEO, describes, “You would never know whether the person who made the garment had full vision capability or not. It all looks the same.” To be honest, I think that is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.

Find Sustainability, Safety, and Comfort in Yellow Leaf Hammocks [Corporate Conscious Wednesday]

Nothing says paradise like swinging in the breeze in a hammock. With the official start of Summer right around the corner, we’re all in the mood to kick off our shoes and relax in the sun. This week’s Corporate Conscious Wednesday post features Yellow Leaf Hammocks and their efforts to provide comfort and knowledge of sustainability, while preserving the culture and economy of the Mlabri tribe in Thailand.

Inspired by the hammocks created by the Mlabri tribe, Yellow Leaf founder, Joe Demin, created the company to help the Mlabri tribe to increase demand for their hammocks and promote more eco-safe methods of production.

The latest development for Yellow Leaf Hammocks is their design for a hammock stand, or the Yellow Leaf Hammock Recliner. In three different finishes, all customers are sure to be satisfied with this new model. I’d take a nap in that!

 

Demin’s dedication to the company shines through in his Twitter feed @Hammocker and blogging efforts on “The Front Porch.”  That kind of attitude makes people want to do business with you. As if we needed yet another reason to love this company! 

Want to support Yellow Leaf? Visit their site www.yellowleafhammocks.com and shop for your very own personal hammock! They would make great Father’s day gifts, don’t you think? Your dad could be as comfortable as this cat.