The ATA Chronicle - September/October 2024 - 17

One of the things on
our minds as language
professionals is how to
build a sustainable future
for our careers. The advent
of artificial intelligence and
the passing of the baton in a
globalized race to the bottom
on the rates we charge have
led some of us to an inflection
point in our careers. Will we
even have jobs as translators
and interpreters in the
coming decades? While I
don't have a blanket solution
to these concerns, what I do
have is a proposal that could
grant us some assurance
about the future.
Building a sustainable
future starts with ensuring
that there even is a future
at all. We have only one
planet, and its current
inhabitants are packed with
potential to preserve it for
the coming generations.
Building a sustainable
future means shifting our
mindset and framework for
doing business. Certified B
Corporations personify the
push toward a sustainable
future by embarking on
a journey of continuous
improvement in social and
environmental performance
to institute economic
inclusion and equity. Aligning
with the pillars of what it
means to be a Certified B
Corporation could be part
of what ushers language
professionals into the future.
What Exactly Is a
B Corp? And What's
the Other B Corp?
You'll often hear the term " B
Corp " used to loosely refer
to both a Benefit Corporation
(or a Public Benefit
Corporation) and a Certified
B Corporation. While the
www.ata-chronicle.online
" B " in both instances stands
for " benefit " (to simplify
matters), these two B Corps
are not the same.
The first " B Corp, " a
Benefit Corporation, is a
legal structure available in
most U.S. states. Think of it
as one of the incorporating
options available to you,
along with the Limited
Liability Company (LLC) and
the C Corporation, among
other forms.
The other " B Corp " is a
Certified B Corporation. This
B Corp is not a legal status;
rather, it's a for-profit
entity that adheres to a few
key tenets:
y A legal structure or
governing mandate that
calcifies the company's
mission to include
generating a positive
impact on society and the
environment. (For some
companies, that could
mean converting to a
Benefit Corporation.)
y Completion of the B
Impact Assessment, a
digital tool that can
help measure, manage,
and improve positive
impact performance
for the environment,
communities, customers,
suppliers, employees, and
shareholders. Receiving
a minimum verified
score of 80 points on the
assessment is the first step
toward B Certification.
y Maintaining a minimum
level of performance
throughout an indepth
audit conducted
in accordance with the
standards set by B Lab
Global, a nonprofit global
network recognized as
a leader in economic
systems change dedicated
Whether we have our own
companies or seek more fulfilling
employment, adopting a triplebottom-line
approach to doing
business (that is, people, planet,
and profit) could be part of how
we future-proof our careers and
foster abundant longevity.
to transforming the global
economy to benefit all
people, communities,
and the planet through
the creation of standards,
policies, and tools for
business. As part of this
mission, B Lab Global
certifies companies as
B Corps.
y Commitment to
transparency of the
company's performance
in its B Directory listing.
(The B Directory lists all
the companies that are
certified. You can search by
business name, keyword,
location, or industry.)
So, being a B Corp doesn't
automatically make you a
B Corp. Electing B Corp as a
legal status, however, could
be part of what's required for
your company to effectively
become a B Corp. All clear?
But then, how do
companies reach and
maintain the required level of
performance in the B Impact
Assessment? This threshold is
met by measuring companies'
positive impact across five
key impact areas. Among the
questions addressed in each
area are the following:
Governance: What portion of
the company's management
is evaluated in writing on
their performance with
regard to corporate, social,
and environmental targets?
Workers: What percentage
of the company is owned by
full-time workers (excluding
founders/executives)?
Community: What
percentage of management
is from underrepresented
populations? (This question
includes women, minority/
previously excluded
populations, people with
disabilities, and/or people
living in low-income
communities.)
Environment: Does the
company monitor and
record its universal
waste production?
Customers: How does the
company verify its product
improves the impact of its
client organizations?
This review process really
gets under the hood of what
companies are doing. That's
why it's so relevant for a
sustainable future. It fosters
a deep dive into how we can
better align ourselves with
the shifting needs of the
21st century.
American Translators Association 17
https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/ https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/programs-and-tools/b-impact-assessment/ https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/programs-and-tools/b-impact-assessment/ https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/standards/ https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/standards/ http://www.ata-chronicle.online
The ATA Chronicle - September/October 2024

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