Twin Cities advertising agency Russell Herder has boosted its commitment to be a "force for good."
This week the Minneapolis-based firm became one of ten Minnesota companies to earn global "B Corp" certification meaning it promises to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency, the company announced in a release.
"Thirty-three years ago, Russell Herder was founded with the belief that our work should matter, and we are proud to continue that legacy as a Certified B Corporation," said Carol Russell, chief executive of Russell Herder, in a statement. "Becoming a Certified B Corporation is a natural extension of Russell Herder's values and our enduring commitment to doing good in the community."
Non-profit B Lab awarded Russell Herder with the recognition after the agency demonstrated it met social, accountability and environmental standards. Sunrise Banks and Patagonia are two other B Corp certified companies.
The certification comes less than a year after the agency changed its tax status to become a "benefit corporation," which means it commits to achieving social and sustainability goals in addition to financial profit. Peace Coffee is another local benefit corporation. The main distinction between benefit corporation status and B Corp certification is that Certified B corporations must achieve a certain score on an assessment and recertify every two years while benefit corporations self-report their performance, according to the Certified B Corporations website.
Russell Herder says it matches a large percentage of its annual profits in time and services donated to select nonprofit organizations. It also gives team members paid time off to volunteer.
