The B Corp™ movement is growing exponentially, and Oregon is seeing some of that growth with an expanding B Corp™ community. A group of organizations dedicated to business as a force for good gathered on Oct. 6 at the sixth annual B Corp™ Leadership Development Pacific Northwest Conference, themed “Building Connectivity.” Featuring keynote speakers Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Oregon Food Bank CEO Susannah Morgan, and Tillamook Executive Vice President of Stewardship Paul Snyder, the event offered an opportunity for local and regional B Corps™ to “explore our connection as B Corps™ with the greater economic systems we operate in” and “join together as a community that leads in building a more equitable system that works for everyone.”

Conference sessions focused on a range of topics, including the need to address systemic injustices as a business community, building supply chain sustainability and resiliency, the issues facing Pacific Northwest farm workers, and reinvesting to reinvigorate downtown Portland. Representatives from local B Corps™ connected, shared, and brainstormed ways to participate in building a stronger and more inclusive business community and a vibrant economy.

Arnerich Massena was pleased to participate in the program with a panel session on “Intentional Investing: Investment as a Tool for Community Development.” Senior Research Analyst Matt Bryant facilitated, joined by panelists Caroline Lewis, Partner at Rogue Venture Partners, a disruptive early-stage technology fund that focuses on underrepresented and undercapitalized markets; and Jason Hilton from Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO), which focuses on poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship in minority communities and distressed areas. The discussion explored the ways in which capitalism and enterprise can be a major force for community development and social justice. You can view a video of the session here.

Check out pictures of the event, hosted at The Redd in Portland, below.

To learn more about Certified B Corporations™, visit https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/, and to learn more about B Local PDX, the local community of B Corps™, visit https://www.blocalpdx.com/