The honor comes from B Lab.
(Press Release) BOZEMAN, MT — West Paw has been recognized for the fourth year in a row for being among companies creating the most positive environmental impact based on an independent, comprehensive assessment administered by the nonprofit B Lab. Honorees are featured on B the Change, the digital Medium publication produced by B Lab, at http://www.bthechange.com.
West Paw is honored in the Best for the Environment list, which includes businesses that earned an Environment score in the top 10 percent of more than 2,100 Certified B Corporations on the B Impact Assessment. The full assessment measures a company’s impact on its workers, community, customers and the environment. To certify as B Corporations, companies like West Paw must complete the full assessment and have their answers verified by B Lab.
The Environment portion of the B Impact Assessment evaluates a company’s environmental performance through its facilities, materials, emissions and resource and energy use. Companies answer questions about their transportation/distribution channels and the environmental impact of their supply chain. The assessment also measures whether a company’s products or services are designed to solve an environmental issue, including products that aid in the provision of renewable energy, conserve resources, reduce waste, promote land/wildlife conservation, prevent toxic/hazardous substance or pollution, or educate, measure or consult to solve environmental problems. Honorees scoring in the top 10 percent set a gold standard for the high impact that business as a force for good can make on nature around the world. West Paw made the list thanks to exceptional practices like sustainable manufacturing, having a closed-loop recycling program, and using eco-friendly materials in their products.
The 180 Best for Environment companies come from 66 different industries and 24 countries. B Lab simultaneously released separate lists recognizing B Corporations as Best for the World (overall impact), Best for Community, Best for Customers, Best for the Long Term, Best for Workers and Best for the World: Changemakers.
“West Paw has manufactured its eco-friendly pet toys and beds in Montana since 1996. When we started out we wanted to create Made in America products that add joy to peoples and pets lives while also being mindful of the planet. The employees at West Paw are honored to be recognized for their efforts and thrilled to receive this award for the fourth consecutive year,” said Spencer Williams, owner and president of West Paw.
Additional 2017 Best for Environment honorees include: People Against Dirty (Method +Ecover); New Belgium Brewing; and Plum Organics.
“Best for the Environment honorees like West Paw are redefining what it means to be an ‘environmentally-friendly’ business,” says Jay Coen Gilbert, co-founder of B Lab. “We’re proud to shine a light on their achievement in a meaningful way. Best for the World is the only list of businesses making the greatest positive impact that uses comprehensive, comparable, third-party-validated data about a company’s social and environmental performance.”
A total of 846 Certified B Corporations were named 2017 Best for the World Honorees, including: Patagonia; Seventh Generation; National Co+op Grocers; and Business Development Bank of Canada. Forty-eight countries are represented, including Afghanistan, Kenya, Nicaragua and Turkey. The selection criteria for Best for the World honorees are available at http://bit.ly/29ZYRSp.
Today there are more than 2,100 Certified B Corporations across more than 130 industries and 50 countries, unified by one common goal: to redefine success in business. Any company can measure and manage social and environmental performance at http://bimpactassessment.net.