Leader of the North Carolina State B Corp Clinic and a collaboration of academics, the Global B Corp Academic Community, Jessica Yinka Thomas contributes to helping impact-focused companies implement social and environmental impact practices and do more good in the world.
Jessica is Director of the Business Sustainability Collaborative and a lecturer in the Poole College of Management at NC State University. She serves as president of the Global B Corp Academic community, a network of 350 educators and researchers from around the world studying and teaching about B Corps and the movement of business as a force for good. She leads the NC State B Corp Clinic, a consulting programs that brings together interdisciplinary teams of students to work with companies around the world to strengthen their social and environmental impact using the B Corp framework.
3 Key Points
- Consumers spend more on impact-focused products, investors prefer to back sustainable businesses, and employees want to work at impact-focused companies.
- Independent audits, outside consultations, and B-Corp certification legitimize impact-focused business practices.
- Entrepreneurs are not the only people with passion for impact-focused business. Academics and those in the public sector often hold views that can unlock new avenues of impact.
Quote
“Companies operating in a socially- and environmentally responsible manner [are actually sources] of innovation and advantage.”
What We Talked About
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- 01:24 – Tell us about the Business Sustainability Collaborative and the B Corp Clinic at NC State
- 04:10 – What is the role of academia in the B Corp movement?
- 06:55 – Academics as objective outsiders
- 08:11 – How do you see other organizations fitting together in the sustainable business movement?
- 10:20 – What makes business sustainable?
- 13:46 – How do you define corporate social responsibility and how does it compare to a focus on impact?
- 20:20 – Has your research found examples of purpose-washing, companies attempting to look sustainable without upholding principles?
- 25:05 – Is there a trend towards larger multinationals pursuing B Corp certification?
- 27:40 – Tell us more about social innovation
- 31:00 – Why are you an academic instead of an entrepreneur?
- 34:56 – How did you find writing as a personal passion?
Actionable Tips
- Bring together people from across disciplines to find novel solutions.
- Continuously learn from everyone around you.
- Pursue positive impact in every role you play—leader, coworker, and consumer.
Resources Mentioned
- Visit Jessica’s website.
- Jessica’s novels: How Not to Save the World and How Not to Make Friends
- Jessica is Director of North Carolina State University’s Business Sustainability Collaborative and B Corp Clinic
Resources for Your Business
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Ursula Jorch, Host of The Impact Interviews
Ursula Jorch is a business coach, speaker, and podcaster who shows women leaders how to turn their businesses into profitable agents for lasting change, global impact, and a force for good in the world.
