The current economic system unfairly demands that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color women-identifying led businesses be more qualified than their white peers to access the same resources. For example, 1% of Black-owned businesses in their first year obtained loans they applied for compared to 7% of white-owned businesses. Now in its fourth year, B Lab’s Level Program effectively addresses these disparities with practical and deep stakeholder engagement. The Level program provides BIPOC woman-identifying business owners with professional consulting and financial resources used to measure and improve their social and environmental impact, tell their story, adopt legal stakeholder governance, and certify as a B Corp. This program is successful, and offers practical and applicable lessons for all organizations committed to inclusion. This is a story worth hearing.
Leveling the Playing Field: Empowering BIPOC Women Entrepreneurs with B Corp Certification
Track
DEI, Ownership and Impact
Format
Panel (3 speakers)
Speakers
- NameRebecca Coffey
- TitleInterim CEO and Senior Consultant
- OrganizationImpact Growth Partners
- NameAlesha Hartley
- TitleSenior Manager, Equitable Programs
- OrganizationB Lab
- NameColleen Bataille
- TitleDirector of Partnerships & Programs
- OrganizationWOCStar Fund
Description
The current economic system unfairly demands that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color women-identifying led businesses be more qualified than their white peers to access the same resources. For example, 1% of Black-owned businesses in their first year obtained loans they applied for compared to 7% of white-owned businesses. Now in its fourth year, B Lab’s Level Program effectively addresses these disparities with practical and deep stakeholder engagement. The Level program provides BIPOC woman-identifying business owners with professional consulting and financial resources used to measure and improve their social and environmental impact, tell their story, adopt legal stakeholder governance, and certify as a B Corp. This program is successful, and offers practical and applicable lessons for all organizations committed to inclusion. This is a story worth hearing.
