Tom’s of Maine Certifies as ‘B Corp’

Companies achieving B Corps must meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, while aspiring to use the power of markets to “address social and environmental problems,” the company explains.

Tom’s of Maine, a division of Colgate-Palmolive since 2006, was founded in 1970 and since then has continued to donate 10% of its profits to organizations committed to taking care of the planet. “It paid off then by earning our brand a loyal following...,” senior shopper Andy Brown told Environmental Leader last year. As the company evolves, it’s important to continue to remind consumers of “the action we’re taking today so that they continue to support our brand.”

Certification by B Lab

Certified B Corporations have been identified as using their businesses as a “force for good” by nonprofit organization B Lab, which envisions a global economy comprised of purpose-driven corporations that create benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders.

As leaders of this emerging economy, B Corporations believe:

• That they must be the change they seek in the world;
• That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered;
• That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all;
• To do so requires that they act with the understanding that they are dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.

To date, more than 2,700 companies have been named Certified B Corporations, including Athleta, New Belgium Brewing, and Patagonia.