Saachi Sharda

Common Interests, LLC has been recognized as a 2022 Best For The World™ for exceptional impact on its Customers!

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We are extremely proud to announce that Common Interests, LLC has been named a 2022 Best for the World™ B Corp™ for the 6th time in a row, in recognition of our exceptional positive impact on our Customers. In the B Corp community, we believe that companies should compete not just to be the Best IN the world, but the Best FOR the world. In recognition of this, the Best for the World distinction is granted by B Lab to Certified B Corporations (B Corps) whose verified B Impact Scores in the five impact areas evaluated in the B Impact Assessment — community, customers, environment, governance, and workers — rank in the top 5% of all B Corps in their corresponding size group. 

Every year, Best for the World recognizes the top-performing B Corps creating the greatest positive impact through their businesses. More than a badge of honor, Best for the World provides an opportunity for recognized companies to share knowledge, learnings, and best practices with the B Corp community and businesses outside of the community to encourage innovation and transformation across the business sector. The full lists are available at bcorporation.net, and you can view our B Corp transparency page on their website as well by clicking here.

The Best for the World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes B Corps, which are businesses that meet high standards of positive social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today, there are more than 5,000 B Corps across 80 countries and 155 industries, unified by one common goal: building an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system.

“Each Best for the World edition is an opportunity to raise the bar for how businesses can and should operate to create real and lasting positive impact for their workers, customers, communities, and the environment,” said Dan Osusky, Head of Standards and Insights at B Lab Global. “While no company is perfect and even the best companies can and should continue to strive to improve, the B Corps recognized as Best for the World can provide us all — standards setters, B Corps, non B Corps, and sustainability advocates — with inspiration on what true leadership in business can look like to make progress on addressing our current global challenges.”

B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall social and environmental impact of the company that stands behind it. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 points on the B Impact Assessment, an evaluation of a company’s positive impact, and pass a risk review, an evaluation of a company’s negative impact; change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders; and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their B Corp Certification performance to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website. We have used the B Impact Assessment as a roadmap for our firm to become more sustainable, which resulted in a 32% increase in our scores from the last time we were recertified in 2016.

According to Jorge Fontanez, CEO B Lab US & Canada,”B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and we certify companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. To date, our community includes 400,000 workers in over 5,000 B Corps across 80 countries and 155 industries, and more than 200,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager. B Lab has created and led efforts to pass over 50 corporate statutes globally that enable stakeholder governance, with over 10,000 companies using the legal framework”.To learn more and join the movement, visit www.bcorporation.net.

 

Max Mintz

Common Interests recognized as a “Best For The World™” B Corp for excellence beyond just profit

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We are excited to announce that Common Interests has been named a Best for the World™ B Corp for the 5th time in a row in recognition of our exemplary performance beyond commercial metrics. Ranking in the top 5% of all B Corps in our size group worldwide for sustainable business practices, we have earned this honor because of initiatives such as our sliding fee scale, which bases our hourly fees on our clients’ ability to pay, our lack of an investment minimum, and our commitment to democratizing access to impact investing & financial planning.

This honor is the culmination of many years of work, and is the first time since we moved to Vanderbilt Financial Group in 2017 that the work we’ve put in to raise our scores has been reflected. B Corps are required to recertify every 3 years, and our most recent recertification, which began at the end of 2019 and was completed in February 2020 (which explains why we haven’t had time to talk about it until now), resulted in a 39.5% increase to our scores. We’re extremely proud that our new scores (which you can view here), continue to keep us as a Best for the World B Corp, even as the criteria for this honor have tightened.

The Best for the World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes Certified B Corporations, which are for-profit companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today there are more than 4,000 Certified B Corporations across 77 countries and 153 industries, unified by one common goal: transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.

B Corps meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. The B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall positive impact of the company that stands behind it—like Common Interests. Using the B Impact Assessment, B Lab evaluates how a company’s operations and business model impact its workers, community, environment, and customers. To achieve the B Corp Certification, a company must achieve a score of at least 80 points on the assessment.

 “Best for the World is a special program for the B Corp community, and we’re thrilled to resume it after pausing the program in 2020 due to COVID-19. This year’s Best for the World companies are operating at the very top of their class, excelling in creating positive impact for their stakeholders, including their workers, communities, customers and the environment. We’re proud of the community of stakeholder-driven businesses we’ve cultivated over the last 15 years; together we’re marching toward our collective vision of an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet.” 

~Juan Pablo Larenas, Executive Director of B Lab Global.

More than 800 B Corps from more than 50 countries were named to the 2021 Best for the World lists, including 4G Capital, KeepCup, Natura, The Big Issue Group, TOMS, Too Good To Go, and Patagonia. The 2021 Best for the World lists are determined based on the verified B Impact Assessments of Certified B Corporations. The full lists are available on https://bcorporation.net/.

Max Mintz

Common Interests recognized as a “Best For The World” B Corp for exceptional impact on our customers

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Common Interests, a Certified B Corporation, has been named a Best For The World honoree for the fourth year in a row in recognition of our work to improve the lives of our customers through the use of our services. Ranking in the top 10 percent of all 3,000 B Corps for our positive impact on our customers, Common Interests earned this honor because our investments promote public benefits, and are designed to solve social and environmental issues. Through our recent Impact Report, we have shown the real impact our clients’ investments have made on the world. We are leading by example in the financial services industry to inspire other firms to enable their clients to align their investments with their values. Through our impact targeting project, we have focused our investments on improving health, preserving the environment, creating economic opportunity for individuals and communities, and increasing the flow of capital to purpose-driven enterprises. Our firm was also recognized for our innovative fee structure which enables us to serve underserved populations. Through this award, B Lab shows how companies like Common Interests set a gold standard for how business can be a force for good for people around the world.

Best For The World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit that certifies and supports Certified B Corporations, which are for-profit companies dedicated to using business as a force for good. Today there are 3,000 Certified B Corporations across 64 countries and 150 industries, unified by one common goal: to redefine success in business.

“We are proud to be honored as Best For The World for the Fourth year in a row” said Bob Goellner, managing partner of Common Interests, “This award is evidence of our efforts to mindfully design the impact of our investments and not turn people away. I founded this firm to empower the financial wellness of our community, and this recognition is confirmation that we are serving this purpose.”

B Corps meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall positive impact of the company that stands behind it—like Common Interests. Using the B Impact Assessment, B Lab evaluates how a company’s operations and business model impact its workers, community, environment, and customers. To achieve the B Corp Certification, a company must achieve a score of at least 80 points on the assessment.

“We’re incredibly proud of this year’s Best For The World honorees,” says Anthea Kelsick, Chief Marketing Officer of B Lab. “These inspiring companies represent the kinds of business models and impact-driven business strategies that are building a new economy—one that is inclusive, regenerative, and delivers value to all stakeholders, not just shareholders. To that end, B Corps like Common Interests are redefining capitalism and showing that it actually can work for everyone.”

1,000 B Corps from 44 countries were named to the 2019 Best For The World lists, including Patagonia, Beautycounter, Dr. Bronner’s, TOMS, Seventh Generation, and Greyston Bakery. The 2019 Best For The World honorees are determined based on the verified B Impact Assessments of Certified B Corporations. The full lists are available on https://bcorporation.net/.

Robert Goellner

Max has been recognized as 40 under 40!

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I’m proud to announce that InvestmentNews has recognized my partner, Max Mintz as a 2019 40 Under 40 Honoree! Max was chosen from a pool of about 1,000 nominees by a panel of reporters, editors and other representatives of InvestmentNews, to make a list of 40 talented individuals.

“I’m honored to be included in this year’s 40 under 40 list, and it highlights the increasing importance of my specialty in Sustainable, Responsible and Impact investing” said Max “I credit this award to our firm’s commitment to managing and communicating the impact of our investments.”

InvestmentNews’ 40 Under 40 project strives to award the young talent that is rarely recognized in the financial advice industry. By rewarding these honorees, InvestmentNews hopes to reveal the promising future for the industry.

“The men and women chosen as this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees were selected based on their level of accomplishment, contribution to the financial advice industry and leadership,” said Frederick P. Gabriel Jr., editorial director of InvestmentNews. “They serve as role models for other young professionals and suggest the financial advice industry has a bright future.”

Max Mintz, along with the others making the 6th annual 40 under 40 list, is highlighted in the June 17th issue of InvestmentNews and online at investmentnews.com.

To learn more about Max, the other 2019 winners, awards and the luncheon please visit the profile they wrote on him by clicking here. 

Common Interests has been awarded the 2019 Flourish Prize for Global Goal #8: Decent Work and Economic Growth!

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It is our great honor to share that Common Interests has been awarded the 2019 Flourish Prize for Global Goal #8: Decent Work and Economic Growth!

We were selected based on the AIM2Flourish story written about our organization: Investing for a Reason Beyond Money. Our firm is one of 17 Flourish Prize Honorees for 2019.

This award would not be possible without Professor Joseph Markert from Rutgers Business School, and the student authors who wrote the piece: Swetcha Ananthu, Silas Okoth, Matthew Hennessey, Jeffery Shen, and Paul No.

AIM2Flourish, a program housed at the Fowler Center, is used by professors around the world to facilitate student interviews with business leaders about positive and profitable business innovations that advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) established by the United Nations.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit the Fowler Center’s Facebook and Twitter pages to participate in the 2019 Flourish Prize Virtual Celebration where they are announcing all 17 Honorees. Check out the hashtag #FlourishPrizes2019 to see all of the reactions and related content!

Robert Goellner

2019 Flourish Prize Finalists

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Last year, we gave an interview to a group of students from Rutgers University working on the Aim2Flourish class offered at the Rutgers Business School. As a part of this class, students must select a business working to promote one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and these students chose to write about us. Their article, Investing for a Reason Beyond Money, was selected as a finalist for the 2019 Flourish Prize!

We’re in great company! The 76 Finalists for the 2019 Flourish Prizes represent stories from the more than 800 AIM2Flourish.com stories published in 2018, spanning the globe and showcasing business innovations for each of the 17 UN Global Goals. The 2019 Flourish Prizes Finalists include 76 stories from 30 universities in 16 countries under the guidance of 35 professors. The businesses profiled come from 27 countries and more than 19 industries. We’re proud to say we even know a few of them!

The prize-winning businesses, professors, universities, and students will be honored during the 2019 Flourish Prizes virtual celebration, taking place online the week of May 6–10. Follow the awards ceremony and see photos and videos from the winners by following #FlourishPrizes2019 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. We hope you’ll join us. 

AIM2Flourish is the world’s first higher-education curriculum, story platform, and prize for the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and business’ role in achieving them. The program is an initiative of the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit at the Weatherhead School of Management — Case Western Reserve University. For more information about AIM2Flourish, please contact Claire Sommer, AIM2Flourish Director at Claire@AIM2Flourish.com or +1 917-834-0323.