No! There are so many ways to be able to do life-long work that impacts society positively. We think it’s revolutionary to think outside of the public sector to find careers that use your skills to their maximum impact while integrating justice work.
One of the most recent developments in this concept is a new tax designation – Benefit Corportations, or b-corps for short. There are roughly 1,300 b-corps worldwide – a number that is growing day-by-day – and we’ll let one of the most recent additions explain why b-corps are so desperately needed. Here’s an excerpt from Kickstarter’s announcement of their new Benefit Corporation status:
Until recently, the idea of a for-profit company pursuing social good at the expense of shareholder value had no clear protection under U.S. corporate law, and certainly no mandate. Companies that believe there are more important goals than maximizing shareholder value have been at odds with the expectation that for-profit companies must exist ultimately for profit above all.
Benefit Corporations are different. Benefit Corporations are for-profit companies that are obligated to consider the impact of their decisions on society, not only shareholders. Radically, positive impact on society becomes part of a Benefit Corporation’s legally defined goals.
While only about .01% of all American businesses have done this, we believe that can and will change in the coming years. More and more voices are rejecting business as usual, and the pursuit of profit above all.
Social impact work doesn’t have a linear career path. It’s wide open to every creative idea and innovation you can add to it. ideaRISE encourages you to do just that – figure out what your unique skill set is driving you towards, and then work diligently to place social justice at the center of all you do. The path you forge for yourself will benefit you, of course – but it will also inspire all of us who hope to find our place in making an impact.
In solidarity –
Adeline
