B-Corporation
What are B-Corps?
B-Corps are socially responsible businesses certified by the non-profit B-Lab (link to the B-Corporation website) to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today, there is a growing community of more than 1,000 Certified B-Corps from 33 countries and over 60 industries working together toward one unifying goal: to redefine success in business.
Why did we chose to be a B-Corp?
“I formed OpenConcept back in 1999 because I saw an opportunity to create social change through starting my own business. I was excited to become part of the B Corp community when I first heard about it, because it is a community of companies working to make the world better. Even through the process of applying to become a B Corp, we have found ways to improve our processes and become a more responsible corporate citizen.” - Mike Gifford, Founder and President.
The West End Well
The West End Well is a co-operatively run grocery, café, and meeting space in Ottawa’s Hintonburg neighbourhood. It is a hub for food, learning, and the arts that promotes an engaged, connected, and sustainable community. It features local entertainment in the evening, offers programs like cooking and canning classes, and runs workshops on issues like sustainability, growing your own food, and social justice. The West End Well is also a Good Food Box and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) drop-off site.
We moved to the Second Floor of the West End Well building in July 14, 2014. Sharing space with the West End Well is a way to live our values by supporting and participating in our local community. By supporting local businesses, we support our local economy, which benefits all. We share values with the WEW: social justice, sustainability and community, with the common vision of being the change we seek in the world. Through the connections we are making at the West End Well, we hope to spread the word for open-source adoption, spark interesting debates, explore new opportunities (whether they are business opportunities or opportunities to learn), and lead and support positive social change.