VoIP Supply Becomes First Certified B Corporation in Western New York

VoIP Supply is proud to announce that they have become the first Certified B Corporation (B Corp) in Western New York and have joined the ranks of other great eCommerce B Corps based in New York such as Etsy, Warby Parker Eyewear, and UncommonGoods that are representing a new sustainable way of doing business and measuring success in the same way that a LEED certification can be given to a building or how food can be labeled as Fair Trade or USDA Organic certified.

Sustainable Business Focused on New Way Way of Measuring Success

B Corps are leading the way to a newly recognized corporate form.  Seven states, including New York, have passed Benefit Corporation Legislation. The “B” in B Corp stands for “benefit” and this certification impacts how a business interacts with employees, vendors, customers, the environment, and the local community.

Gaining B Corp status is the result of an in-depth application process that requires a company to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance with a legal obligation to put people ahead of profits.  VoIP Supply’s history of community outreach and intra-office policies contributed to this achievement:

• Ranked #1 Best Places to Work in Western New York in 2008 by Business First and a five-time finalist.
• Consistent donations to the Buffalo City Mission, Cornerstone Manor, Haven House, and Camp Good Days.
• An office sustainability team that seeks out and implements new ways to save energy and reduce waste.
• Volunteer efforts to help the community such as the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper shoreline cleanups.

“It’s a great feeling to know that in addition to being successful at work by solving problems for customers, growing our business, and earning a good living that we’re also helping the community with every successful order we process,” said Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply.

Financial success is great but Sayers wants his company to do well so that it can do good.  When Sayers discovered that there’s a new way to do business and measure success by becoming a Certified B Corporation, he jumped at the chance.

“We are not a typical company, we are a great company, doing great things with great people working together,” said Sayers.  He challenged himself and his company by asking, “What more can we do?”

Sayers adds that, “VoIP Supply’s B Corp Certification is an honor, a roadmap to improve sustainability efforts, and an example to other local businesses on how to become better corporate neighbors.”

About B Corp

Certified B Corporations 1) meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2) legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3) build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.  As of 2013, there are 681 Certified B Corporations in 24 countries from over 60 industries, representing a diverse multi-billion marketplace with one unifying goal. Additionally, there were 40 B Corps among the first 250 companies and funds to receive GIIRS ratings.

About B Lab

B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and just good marketing; 2) accelerating the growth of the impact investing asset class through use of B Lab’s GIIRS impact rating system by institutional investors; and 3) promoting supportive public policies, including creation of a new corporate form and tax, procurement, and investment incentives for sustainable business.