How you can encourage your company to make an impact

How you can encurage your company to make an impactHow you can encourage your company to make an impactAnyone whos ever seen The Wolf of Wall Street knows that big business is often depicted as the big bad wolf. Of course, every company wants to turn a profit and keep their shareholders happy, but I know from experience that businesses can make money and be a force for good. And thats why we at B Lab, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs solve social and environmental problems through impact measurement, are committed to redefining success in business.Thanks to their size and status, many for-profit organizations are in the privileged position of being able to affect the social and environmental well-being of their communities - and even the world - through their everyday operations if theyre proactive about it.At B Lab, its our mission to help businesses build a mora shared and durable prosperity that everyone on earth can benefit from. As a standards analyst, its my job to help c ompanies navigate the B Corp Certification process, which classifies companies that are committed to positively influencing society and the environment. When a company becomes a certified B Corp, the financial gain of their shareholders is no longer their sole priority they are legally committing themselves to doing what is in the best interest of all stakeholders, including local residents, the local community, and the environment. Once they are certified, they receive a score based on the size of the impact theyre making.Thanks to my work, Ive had a front row seat as companies prioritized people and the planet in addition to profits. And, as it turns out, businesses that do so are actually at a huge advantage over other companies that dont. Part of my job involves going on site visits and interviewing employees about their job satisfaction, and I cant tell you how many times Ive heard employees of my generation say they value the transparency and forward-thinking leadership and em powerment thats prevalent at B Corp companies, especially compared to the working environments at more traditional companies.Fortunately, you dont have to be the CEO of a huge business to make a difference. I believe a single employee can convince their company to make significant environmental and social change. Want to help your company do more good? Heres how1. Find an allyStart by thinking about the changes you hope to make. For example, if you work at a company where you want to cultivate environmental stewardship by recycling more and conserving electricity, than you should first figure out who within the companys infrastructure is responsible for those things. If you have a personal relationship with that person or a mentor who can connect you, start there. If not, human resources is always a good place to begin those conversations.2. Express the value of what youre trying to doOnce youve identified an ally, you can then approach the companys leadership to explain how much yo ur plan could save the business, and why making such changes are great for the bottom line, company culture, and employee satisfaction. For instance, independent companies often dont think about things like water intake or energy usage. So, those are easy areas for an entry-level or mid-level employee to address, which also save a company money.3. Establish a plan of impactIn order to achieve your goals, you need a viable plan. Maybe its something you brainstorm with HR. Maybe its something you establish an internal committee to weigh in on. But, no matter what, you should outline specific initiatives you and your company can take to make a difference. Remember, these changes can feel overwhelming at first, so break them into steps and tischset achievable goals.4. Put it in writingYour plan should always include writing or updating a policy that clearly states what youre trying to achieve. For example, if want to institute a policy stating that employees can have 20 hours of paid ti me off to volunteer, putting that in writing and integrating that into the employee handbook ensures your company is going to make good on that promise.5. Hold yourself and others accountableOne thing that Ive seen work at the companies that Ive stewarded through the B Corp Certification process is instituting competitions that challenge and incentivize employees to stay on track with these new policies. A lot of companies use Slack or other messaging services, and theyll send out a message like Happy Friday The employee who recycles the most material today will win and then theyll promise some sort of recognition. Focus on making it fun while inspiring employees to get creative.6. If all else fails, be the change you wish to seeIf your company isnt onboard with making any changes, that doesnt mean you cant make changes on your own in an unofficial capacity. Sure, it can be a lot of responsibility, but you can engage your fellow employees directly to make a positive impact outside o f the main operational system. I know some manufacturing employees who formed a volunteer group outside of the office twice a week they volunteer at a local orphanage. It wasnt an official company effort, but they still got to do something impactful. And thats what matters most.Thisarticleoriginally appeared onTheWell,Jopwellsdigital magazine.TheWellisthedigital magazine of Jopwell,thecareer advancement platform for Black, Latino/Hispanic and Native American professionals and students.Subscribeto receive weekly stories and advice in your inbox.