Walking the Talk
What Being a B Corp Has Meant for Our Brand

Becoming a B Corp was never a decision; it was an inevitability from day one at Rise. B Corps are companies that use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. I'm a firm believer that the best companies are those whose guiding principles cater to profit and people and planet. Consumers’ expectations for quality and accountability to the planet will only continue to get higher.

I am one of those consumers, which is why I started Rise in the first place. When my wife and I had our first child, I became obsessed with creating a home that was healthy and comfortable. I became increasingly mindful of what products are made of, how they’re sourced, and how their manufacturing impacts the planet. After heading down too many research rabbit holes to count, I learned that I was not alone. I decided to create a resource that would solve my problems and the problems of sustainability-minded homeowners just like me.

Sticking to our values

With March being “B Corp Month,” it was a great opportunity to reflect on how becoming a B Corp has impacted Rise in our business. Our people and the planet have always been at the center of what we do, but becoming a B Corp has put our intentions on paper and added a layer of accountability. If I had to give “B Corp Year One” a theme, I’d say it was all about transparency.

Our daily mantra is “Rise is an unbiased resource for homeowners.” That sounds simple enough, but in the world of content marketing, it’s easier said than done. You wouldn’t believe the amount of pressure and opportunities that exist to accept payment in exchange for articles, videos and features. Sponsored content is a legitimate and successful model, but it doesn’t suit our business.

Driving Internal Organizational Alignment and Better Cross-Functional Collaboration

Join us as leaders from Daggerwing Group, General Mills, J. Lohr Vineyards, Sylvain and Caribou Coffee explore aspects of evolving internal company governance, culture and collaboration that enable stronger connections with consumers across generations and with evolving mindsets — Wed, May 8, at Brand-Led Culture Change.

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In an industry where it’s hard to tell the news from the ads, we’ve made a commitment to do NO sponsored content.

In an industry where it’s hard to tell the news from the ads, we’ve made a commitment to do NO sponsored content. Companies cannot pay Rise to mention them in articles or videos. Period. As our user base grows, we face more and more opportunities to leverage that revenue stream, and day after day we confidently say “no.” Our values are clearly defined on paper thanks to the B Corp process, and we have zero plans on veering from them.

Becoming a B Corp was a huge step for us, but I know with certainty that we would be committed to the same values of transparency and sustainability had we not pursued the designation. The Triple Bottom Line is in our DNA and our customers appreciate that. Do we sometimes feel pressured to pursue ad revenue streams? Absolutely. Will we change our minds? Absolutely not.

Commitment to the big things

Our customers are building professionals and manufacturers that are committed to creating homes that are efficient, durable and promote the health of homeowners. We want to work with companies who see our mantra of “unbiased resource for homeowners” as an asset, not a drawback. Customers who share our values for sustainability and transparency love us for it, and we love them, too. 

When I started reflecting on our first year as a B Corp, I was excited to brag about our ban on single-use plastics, our unlimited vacation policy, the drive-less program, and Environmentally Preferred Purchasing (EPP). There have definitely been challenges with these policies — like our favorite restaurant only having plastic take-out containers, or someone forgetting their reusable mug while on a coffee run. The team will never let me forget that time we went without coffee for a month because I couldn’t find a machine that meets our high standards for environmental impact. You could say we have some room to grow when it comes to the “little things,” so we’re looking forward to upping our game in time for our B Corp recertification in 2022.

We commit to the “big things” (the planet, our people and profits) in a big way by being extremely honest with our employees, our customers, our shareholders, and the millions of homeowners who visit buildwithrise.com. Rise has big plans ahead, and with our B Corp values at our side, I feel confident in our ability to make the right moves.

Consumers are demanding more from the companies they buy from, and those who don’t adapt to these new standards will be rightfully left behind. B Corps (and aspiring B Corps) need to set an example by making the triple bottom line more than a requirement for their certification. Make it the definition of who you are as an organization.

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