Business Growth Spotlight
Ep. 244 The Triple Bottom Line: How People, Planet, and Profit Build Competitive Advantage
Most business owners are already living their values every single day. They treat their people well, they think about their impact, they make decisions that go beyond the bottom line. But they are doing it without proof. In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with Tom Hering, founder of Benefit Corporations for Good, to explore what happens when purpose-driven businesses decide to make that commitment official. Tom launched Benefit Corporations for Good in 2018 after spending two acts of his career in the advertising world as a copywriter and creative director across Portland and Seattle. Alongside his co-founder Marianne Harmer, he set out to do something meaningful in his third act, and that led him to the benefit company movement. Today he helps small and mid sized businesses across North America commit to a triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. The conversation digs into why certification matters even when a business is already doing good. Tom explains that third party verification gives owners something a PR campaign never can: credibility, accountability, and a public marker that holds them to their commitments year after year. He shares why this resonates so strongly with Millennial and Gen Z talent who want to work for companies making a difference, and how it becomes a genuine differentiator in a crowded market. Tom also tells the story of a steel fabrication company in Portland led by a 40 under 40 honoree, a business building alternative energy products while training and employing women who have been through the prison system. It is a powerful example of what purpose-driven leadership looks like when values move from intention into practice. Heidi and Tom close on one of the most timely questions in business today: how AI fits into values-driven organizations. Tom shares that he is assembling a panel of AI professionals to help his community navigate authenticity and purpose in an AI world, and his core guidance stays refreshingly simple. Look at your values first, then ask whether the decision syncs up. Bio: Tom’s work is focused on growing the Benefit Company movement in Oregon and throughout North America. When he launched Benefit Corporations for Good (BCFG) in 2018, he realized the positive impact small businesses could have on their employees, their communities and their planet through commitment to a triple bottom line of People, Planet and Profit. Currently, BCFG has certified businesses in 13 different states and one Canadian province with the majority of businesses headquartered in Oregon. In June of 2023, Tom received word that the bill he sponsored in the Oregon legislature passed both chambers and headed to Governor Kotek for signing. The bill provides a sustainable advantage to Oregon Benefit Companies seeking a contract through the state's procurement office. Tom has worked as a creative director, copywriter and brand strategist. Before starting his strategic marketing communications firm, he worked for well-regarded agencies in Portland and Seattle as copywriter and creative director. He is the co-author of the book, Putting Soul Into Business: How the Benefit Corporation is Transforming American Business and 25 Building Blocks to Create a Conscientious Organization. Tom is a graduate of the University of Oregon's School of Journalism. To connect with our guest, click on the links below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/benefit-corporations-for-good Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bencorpsforgood/ Website: https://benefitcorporationsforgood.com/ Connect with me: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/ Spotlight to Scale Blueprint: https://spotlighttoscale.com/blueprint Join us for a free 60 Minute Webinar on Visibility and Getting Recommended by AI: https://becomeairecommended.com/grow
