Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power’s office in Colchester is now home to two B Corps with the certification of Greenbanc, one of the energy innovators located in GMP’s Inspire Space. B Corps are companies that believe business can be a force for good and are certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. GMP became the first utility in the world to become a Certified B Corp in 2014.
“We are thrilled that our Inspire Space contest inspired Greenbanc to relocate to Vermont and to become a certified B Corp,” said Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power. “Our Inspire Space is helping energy innovators grow and develop important technology and clean energy solutions that will benefit our customers, while they live their commitment to having a positive social and environmental impact. Working together we can achieve amazing results for Vermonters.”
Greenbanc’s goal is to accelerate the transition to sustainable homes via a marketplace platform called Greenjobs that connects homeowners with qualified contractors. Homeowners benefit from an easier process to upgrade to a better home at a lower cost and marketplace partners receive green jobs and financing opportunities.
“We are so honored to join GMP, as a certified B Corp, and winning the Inspire Space contest has accelerated our ability to create positive change in the community,” said North Lennox, founder of Greenbanc. “GMP and Greenbanc share the desire to use business to make the world a better place, and we appreciate the ability to collaborate and bring our ideas to help Vermonters.”
Greenbanc is now the leading provider of Home Energy Scores in Vermont. The Department of Energy created the Home Energy Score to be similar to a vehicle’s MPG rating, and provide homeowners with useful information about home energy performance.
GMP’s Inspire Space is a state-of-the-art, open concept workspace in Colchester that GMP made available to entrepreneurs and energy pioneers through a national competition. The companies collaborate with GMP and share their cutting-edge ideas in return for locating their companies at GMP’s Inspire Space.
To get a B Corp certification, companies must demonstrate their record of accomplishment and ongoing commitment in four areas: environment, employees, community and governance.
“Helping our community by helping energy start-ups be successful in Vermont is one way we live our B Corp commitment,” Powell said.
There are more than 1600 B Corporations in 42 countries, including now 30 in Vermont.
The 30 Certified B Corps in Vermont are: Vermont Creamery, Business Culture Consultants, Image Outfitters, Cabot Creamery Co-Op, Merritt & Merritt, Morris Consulting, Rhino Foods, Advance Humanity, Ben & Jerry’s, Forward Philanthropy, Gardners Supply, King Arthur Flour Company, Sustain, SunCommon, New Chapter, Chroma, Clean Ethics, Seventh Generation, Clean Yield, Image Relay, Green Mountain Power, Mamava, Inc., Watershed Coaching, LLC, KSV, Native Energy, Westwood International, Vermont Smoke & Cure, Encore Renewable Energy, LineSync Architecture and Greenbanc.
Source: GMP 11.21.2016