B The Change Weekly: June 5, 2020
Delivered on Fridays, B the Change Weekly delivers the most important and most relevant stories about people using business as a force for good. The newsletter features a weekly note from the B the Change team alongside insight and context on the stories we share here on Medium. Below is our latest roundup. To receive these insights directly in your inbox, sign up for B the Change Weekly today. Now on to the good stuff:
Working toward a more inclusive economy has always been a focus for the interdependent community of Certified B Corporations — including Ben & Jerry’s, Success Rehabilitation, and Greyston Bakery — which have been educating themselves and others and advancing racial equity. But much work remains to realize an inclusive, equitable, anti-racist economy and society.
And as Anthea Kelsick, co-CEO of B Lab U.S. & Canada, says in her letter this week to the B Corp community, it’s not enough to be quietly non-racist. Instead, B Corp leaders must stand and speak against the fundamental injustice, inequity, and violence that disproportionately affect People of Color.
The call to act is loud and clear: Let’s get to work.
A Call to Speak and Act Against Racism
Business leaders in the B Corp community and beyond should be vocal and explicit as they tackle inherent racism, says Anthea Kelsick, co-CEO of B Lab U.S. & Canada. “Let’s get to work tackling racism by developing ourselves and each other in order to become accountable leaders.”
Fighting the Epidemic of White Supremacy
White supremacy is a pervasive illness that affects each of us differently, says Jodeen Olguín-Tayler, Head of Partnerships and Strategic Growth at B Lab Global. And while there will be no vaccine for this sickness, she says a cure can be created through individual, organizational, societal and structural transformations to ensure an equitable future for everyone.
The Path to Become An Ally
Rather than feeling hopeless that racism is still ever-present, writer Christina Marie Noel says White people must consider what they can do to fight racism. On B The Change, she shares resources and lessons that have helped on her 15-year journey to become a better ally — and her plans for continual learning and advocacy for systemic change.
Stay in the Know
Here’s your chance to catch up on recent articles:
- Tackling Racism As Accountable Business Leaders
- The Other Epidemic We All Must Fight: White Supremacy: Anti-Racism Must Guide Our Work to Advance Public Policies and Transform an Economic System Built on Violence and Inequality
- 4 Steps That I and Other White People Can Take to Fight Racism
- Dismantling Racism Takes Action: Here’s What You Can Do Today: Communities Using Collective Power to Create Change
- Income Advance: Employee Lifeline in the Time of COVID and Beyond: Program Helps Workers Build Long-Term Financial Resilience
- Is It Still Hospitality Without a Handshake and a Smile? How Impact Strategies Can Guide the Travel and Hospitality Industry As It Rebuilds
B the Change gathers and shares the voices from within the movement of people using business as a force for good and the community of Certified B Corporations. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the nonprofit B Lab.
‘We Have a Responsibility to Become Vocal, Visible Anti-Racist Leaders’ was originally published in B The Change on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
