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Diversity is a critical element of excellence in all areas of life. Employers and educators have found that promoting diversity in their workforces makes for a better-functioning organization. They also benefit from having a diverse workforce by receiving more ideas and insights from different backgrounds and cultures. In addition, promoting diversity improves interpersonal relationships between workers in the office and increases employee satisfaction.

Public benefit corporations (PBCs) are a new way to operate a for-profit corporation, one legally required to think about the effects its decisions will have on society, not just shareholders. Unlike a nonprofit, though, a PBC is still a for-profit business, like a limited liability company (LLC) or a C corporation. They have a socially beneficial purpose, but they also are a profitable business.

Employee resource groups (also known as ERGs or affinity groups) are voluntary, identity-based communities formed by employees within the firm. Creating ERGs is one method to build a more inclusive environment and approach diversity and inclusivity in a more holistic, community-based manner. If your organization does not have a program for Employee Resource Groups, here's a look at ERGs and how they might be working together in your company.

As the fields of ESG, sustainability, and impact continue to grow and change, many have questions about the distinctions between these words and phrases. When thinking about these terms, it’s important to not get too caught up in the details to the point that you’re not actually taking action to improve in these areas.

A B Corp -- or "B Corporation" -- is a business certified by the non-profit organization B Lab to have met high standards across various areas, ranging from environmental factors to diversity of employees. The non-profit keeps things transparent by listing each B Corp on a page available to the public, showing the date that the company was certified and the breakdown of its scores. There is also an annual fee companies pay to nonprofit organization B Lab in order to keep their certifications and use the B Corp logo, which is based on the region and the size of the business. B Corp certified companies use their certified stamps to drive movements, foster relationships, attract talent, enhance their impact, amplify others voices, and defend their missions.

Creating an employee handbook is a good idea if you want to keep your employees happy and motivated. It helps you communicate company policies and deadlines to all your workers. Plus, it helps you deal with problems with staff members by outlining disciplinary actions and procedures to follow. Employers who create effective employee handbooks end up saving time, money, and grief.

When it comes to the climate crisis, businesses are often a step behind. While the severity of climate change has been understood for some time, many corporations are just beginning to take action to reduce their environmental impact. Now, history is seeming to repeat itself in the arena of environmental justice (EJ), or the idea that people of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds should be treated fairly in the implementation and creation of environmental policies. Climate change does not affect everyone equally. Racial minorities too often bear the brunt of this worsening issue. Yet despite mounting evidence and the increase in environmental justice activism, businesses have been slow to acknowledge this issue and especially to act on it.‍

With the climate crisis continuing to worsen and consumers increasingly concerned with the environmental consequences of their purchases, businesses are eager to become more sustainable. However, many of these companies have no clue where to start, and don’t have anyone on their team that is well-versed in environmental issues. Thus, many companies in recent years have turned to sustainability consulting.

With sustainability at the core of their business model, Yugen Earthside decided to employ Ecolytics’ software to track their impact and build their business with the highest standards for sustainability.

There is more need now than ever for sustainability in business. With many companies seeing the benefits of adopting more ESG practices, it is important that these initiatives are integrated properly. A lack of standards and digital tools have historically made it difficult and inaccessible for some companies to achieve these goals. A new platform Ecolytics helps businesses measure, report, and integrate their environmental impacts.

Today, Ecolytics announced its participation in the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator to advance their growth in helping companies measure, improve, and showcase impact, so businesses can immediately take action on sustainability. Techstars is a top global accelerator program that provides startups with funding, mentorship, and access to the Techstars mentor and alumni network.

Climate neutrality, or “net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” means reducing and/or offsetting your company’s carbon footprint so your company has a neutral or net-zero effect on climate change. According to the United Nation Environment Programme, ensuring a safe future below the 1.5°C mark aligning with the Paris Agreement requires the world to cut 30 gigatonnes GHG emissions annually by 2030. Thus, global governments and international organizations are encouraging companies to consider becoming carbon neutral. In this blog post, Ecolytics will guide you through five reasons why businesses should start planning on carbon neutrality.

Many companies are considering B Corp certification as they strive to generate social impact through their business. For a socially-conscious business, the B Corp certification is a strong credential presenting a company’s determination to pursue a sustainable, inclusive, and equitable business and social environment.

In 2019, Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge with Global Optimism, an advisory organization that advocates for climate solutions, committing to net-zero carbon emissions across businesses by 2040. The three principles Amazon presents in The Climate Pledge are regular reporting, carbon elimination, and credit offsets. Amazon has promised to periodically measure and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, implement decarbonization strategies through business changes and innovations, and execute quantifiable and socially beneficial offsets to achieve its 2040 Net-Zero target.

In April 2022, the Sixth Assessment Report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its third report, conducted by Working Group III, on the mitigation of climate change. The report, the last one to be published by the three working groups before the final synthesis report is due by early 2023, provides an updated global assessment of climate change mitigation progress and pledges and examines the sources of global emissions. It explains recent developments in emission reduction and mitigation efforts, assessing the impact of national climate pledges in relation to long-term emissions goals.