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💙 Amanda
Nothing says Christmas like overconsumption. But whenever I think I'll just opt out, I remember that I genuinely enjoy giving gifts. As someone who believes runaway capitalism is one of the main ills of our time, this requires some uncomfortable mental gymnastics. But I've found a way to feel a bit better about it.
Let me propose a B Corp Christmas.
A B Corp is a company that is committed to the wellbeing of workers, communities and the environment. Maybe you've seen the logo around. It looks like this.
You already know some: Ben & Jerry's, Patagonia, The Body Shop, Nespresso and Kickstarter are all B Corps. Khloé Kardashian's jean company Good American is certified. So is Danone (that's your Activia and your Evian).
This credential isn't given lightly; the business has to meet some pretty high standards for performance, accountability and transparency. They commit to respecting human rights, providing fair work and taking action to combat the climate crisis. They also have to make details about their business and performance public on the B Corp website.
Public data, you say? Yeah. I went and got it all. (Paid subscribers — you can have it now, too!)
I found that there are enough of these companies, spanning different industries and countries, to make a B Corp Christmas possible. And in some places, it's even easy.
First, there are more B Corps than I expected: 10,040 companies. And in the last few years, the number of certifications has significantly increased.
Certifications began in 2006. Now there are over 10,000 B Corps.
Second, B Corps are accessible to people around the globe. There is at least one headquartered in 101 countries. The bulk, though, are in the UK and the US.
Nearly three quarters of all B Corps were started in just seven countries
Squares are sized by the number of B Corps headquartered in the country
Sticking to B Corps is going to be a lot easier in the UK and the US than in some places. However, these data only show where the companies are headquartered. Many B Corps operate in multiple countries, and some span the globe. So, while Greece only has five registered B Corps, they're not out of luck. There are 261 that serve the country.
And finally, the companies cover enough industries to make a B Corp Christmas possible. The certification does have a lot of management consultants and investment advisors, but there are also plenty making and selling products you'd actually want to gift someone.
Industries with the most certified B Corps
Categories in blue are industries most likely to be useful for festive planning
This B Corp Christmas is looking doable. One last test — if I had to buy it all today, could I actually find the companies to cover my Christmas Day needs? You be the judge.
I've highlighted these brands to show the variety available, not to endorse any particular company. But they're just a sample. To find the brands that suit your holiday requirements, the B Corp website has a way to search them all.
I'm never going to be the one to offer a gift guide, or to push you to buy bags of stuff. But realistically, I know most of us will end up participating in the Christmas consumption machine. Buying from B Corps is far from a perfect solution to the harms of runaway capitalism. But it's in our power, and it's a step in the right direction.
MY WISH LIST
My wants are few this Christmas...
... to avoid getting stuck in Toronto when I fly home for the holidays. (You're not going to get me this year, Pearson!) ✈️
... to feel the encouragement of knowing readers believe in what I'm building here— enough to become a paid subscriber. 💙
If you can help with either of those, I'd really appreciate it!
FROM ELSEWHERE
Here's what I found interesting, important or delightful this week:
1668 datasets across 89 government offices. The Data Rescue Project, which preserves at-risk public information in the US, has created a searchable portal of all the data it has saved.
Speaking of US public data ... Jon Keegan curates visually interesting government datasets in his newsletter, Beautiful Public Data. His recent post highlights the most detailed visualization of American geology to date.
Numbers don't look good for the Irish pub. Two new books chart the bleak decline: Since 2005, Ireland has lost a quarter of these cultural institutions.
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Amanda Shendruk
Amanda Shendruk
Amanda Shendruk
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