Projects
BALLE Sonoma County members are developing several ways to connect with and educate others invested in creating a local living economy.
Below is a sample of the partnerships and innovative solutions BALLE is involved in. We welcome members and volunteers to get involved in our projects, programs and events!
B-Corporation
A group of BALLE SoCo members recently met with representatives of the B-Corporation movement who were visiting the Bay Area. There was a lively and enlightening discussion that led to a suggestion that BALLE SoCo encourage its members to consider the idea and the principles of the B Corporation.
What are B Corporations™?
B Corporations™ are a new type of corporation that is purpose-driven and creates Benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders. The “B” stands for “beneficial”. B Corporations pledge to benefit their local communities as well as their shareholders, employees and others with whom they work.
B Corporations™ are unlike traditional responsible businesses because they:
Meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards.
Institutionalize stakeholder interests.
Build a collective voice though the power of a unifying brand.
What are the Benefits of Becoming a B Corporation™?
As a B Corporation™, you differentiate your business from the growing throng of green- and cause-marketing campaigns and stand out as a leader in the market, creating a clear path for others to follow. You also embed your values into your corporate governing documents so they can survive under new investors, new management and even new ownership.
When you join the B Corporation™ community, you gain access to:
A community of fellow entrepreneurs who share best practices; consumers looking to support "good companies"; and investors aligned with your company's mission.
Tools and information to improve your company's social and environmental performance.
As the B Corporation™ community grows, your company will benefit from the:
Billions of dollars’ worth of collective market presence created by thousands of B Corporations™ speaking with one powerful voice.
Millions of dollars spent each year promoting B Corporations™
How to Become a B Corporation™
To become a B Corporation™, you have to do two things:
First, meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental standards via the B Rating System™.
By meeting these standards, we set a benchmark which distinguishes "good companies" from "good marketing". And we make it easier for consumers and investors to support these companies.
Second, amend your corporate governing documents to incorporate the interests of employees, community and the environment.
By institutionalizing your values, you make it more likely that those values will survive the advent of new investors, new management, and even, someday, new owners.
An Illustrious Local Example
Locally, Indigenous Designs Corporation, of Santa Rosa, is a BALLE SoCo member and a B-Corp. Founded in 1994, Indigenous is a wholesale clothing company and industry leader in organic, fair trade clothing, employing thousands of artisans in the most remote and impoverished regions of the world to produce clothing using the finest organic materials and traditional skills passed down over thousands of years.
More Projects...
Stay Tuned!
BALLE says "Think Local First!"
Do you ever wonder how you can make a difference in the world?
You've heard 'think global act local'
BALLE shows us exactly how easy and effective that directive can be.
For example, our spending habits makes a tremendous difference for Sonoma County based, independently owned businesses.
Our local economy provides local jobs, services and goods that we all need.
The more local our buying is...the more local the benefits are.
Study after study proves that supporting local businesses keep more money flowing in our local economy.
It's actually 3 times as much compared to spending at national chain stores.
That's 3 times the amount of money to support local jobs, schools and non-profit organizations
That's significant!
One of the very first steps to building a Local Living Economy is to educate the community to Think Local First.
We know you can't always shop at independent businesses, but we want to encourage people to think local first, and support locally owned businesses whenever possible.
We kicked off the Sonoma County Think Local First Campaign in 2006 and we plan to double the effort in 2008.
So, we encourage you to Think Local, Buy Local and Be Local!
Why a 'Think Local First' Campaign?
A Think Local campaign is a critical piece of a sustainable community economic development strategy. Bringing awareness to THINKING LOCAL helps promote economic stability, job growth, and entrepreneurial vigor through nurturing and promoting a wide diversity of locally owned businesses in our region.
Who Benefits from a Local First Campaign?
Independent businesses stand to gain significantly from a Local First Campaign. Businesses can be quite successful when they cooperatively market to local consumers, and commit to delivering quality services and products local consumers desire. Strong business networks can also facilitate connections to suppliers and support services.
Diverse and numerous small and independent businesses provide a stable tax base and generally require less costly infrastructure and public services, thereby providing a good return on investment to local governments.
Community residents can be the greatest beneficiaries. When there is a conscious effort to support local businesses, residents of a community get the products and services that they want in a geographically convenient area. They also have more stable local employment. A strong local tax base can support public projects, schools, and cultural activities enhancing the quality of life in a community.