We’re excited to share that Big Path Capital recently completed our sixth B Corp recertification! As longtime members of this community of companies using business as a force for good, we have witnessed the continual evolution of the B Corp Certification process and learned valuable lessons with each cycle.

Big Path was among the first cohort of certified B Corps. Founder Michael Whelchel remembers fondly when he first learned about the certification from B Lab co-founder Jay Cohen Gilbert. “He spoke about the need for business to be a force for good, and that there needed to be a way to distinguish between good marketing and a truly good company,” recalls Whelchel. “Jay’s presentation inspired me deeply, and I had a sense I was signing up to be part of a movement, a revolution.”

Running a business that puts positive social and environmental impact on par with profit is at the heart of Big Path’s mission, and we’ve found new ways over time to measure and deepen that commitment. They include working with purpose-driven clients that touch underserved populations, adjusting our policies and programs to enhance internal impact, partnering with other B Corps, and seizing opportunities to connect with others.

Through these actions and connections, our team learns new ways to strengthen our commitment to purpose and impact as part of the B Corp community. Here’s a look at what we’ve discovered and how it influenced our recent B Corp recertification.

Better Tracking, Better Score

The B Corp Certification process differs for companies based on their size, sector, location, and other factors. For Big Path, it involves detailed tracking of everything from client impact to operational practices. (New standards for B Corp Certification have been released that emphasize holistic impact and continual improvement — a raised bar that Big Path will be measured against during its next recertification.)

Over seven certification cycles, we’ve developed systems that help us compile the data we need to complete the process. We leverage Big Path’s CRM and bookkeeping platforms and create spreadsheets that track client and vendor data. In this recent certification cycle, we also improved our data collection on team volunteer hours and the financial donations Big Path has made.

In addition to expanding what data we tracked for B Corp recertification, we carefully considered how to collect information that aligns with Big Path’s focus on stakeholder impact. Those strategies paid off in terms of time and impact, according to Big Path COO Adrianne Gordon, who coordinates the company’s certification process as our B Keeper. “Starting with questions asked during the certification process and working backward to determine what data we needed resulted in a significant improvement in our score,” Gordon said.

Some of the questions focus on two stakeholder-based Impact Business Models that align with Big Path’s mission to make capitalism a force for good: supporting purpose-driven enterprises and clients that work with underserved populations. The specific impact companies and funds we work with vary year-to-year. Evaluating our client list based on both our criteria and those used for B Corp Certification helps ensure we are focused on the businesses and funds best positioned to help create a future that supports all people and the planet.

“These Impact Business Models are at the heart of what we do,” said CEO and Founder Michael Whelchel. “We only work with purpose-driven companies and private equity funds, and a number of the funds that we support in their capital raises have missions to support underserved populations.”

Seeing Opportunities Beyond Client Work

With each B Corp recertification, we’ve found opportunities to increase our impact related to the environment, community, employees, and other stakeholders.

Environment: For Big Path convenings, we’ve been able to add practices and partnerships that improve our sustainability efforts. While we have approached these events with an eye on the environment for some time, we became more intentional, adding carbon offsets for the events to account for travel for attendees and our staff.

Community: Our Ripples of Impact initiative is another example of this stakeholder commitment. Through this program, Big Path honors milestone anniversaries of our staff with a donation to the charity of their choice in the amount of $1,000 for each year of service. We’ve also stepped up our internal tracking of employee volunteer hours to better reflect our community commitment.

Employees: Big Path’s commitment to our team members includes providing skill-building opportunities, seeking input on company policy and decisions, and supporting their individual well-being.

Business partners: Who we work with matters, too. We make it a priority to support B Corps like Climate First Bank, Eco Promotional Products, Bark Media, TripZero, Real Leaders, and Practical Insight by using their services. “Hiring or buying from another B Corp is a very direct way we can amplify the impact of the community,” Whelchel said.

Building Impact in Community

One of our favorite ways to build impact is connecting with others in the B Corp community and learning about ways we all are using business as a force for good. The spirit of collaboration, shared purpose, and interdependence continues to inspire us to do more.

Big Path connects with other B Corps locally and regionally as members of B Local Asheville + WNC. We are an ongoing sponsor of the BLD Southeast event and a sponsor and marketplace vendor at the Champions Retreat for U.S. and Canadian B Corps. Big Path also participated in a webinar for Level program participants, sharing funding expertise with businesses that face systemic challenges and the broader B Corp community.

Our MO 100 ranking of top impact CEOs includes a company’s B Corp Certification score, if applicable. We’ve seen a steady increase in the number of B Corps on the list — at 69 and counting in 2025!

At Big Path events, we use B Corp stickers on name badges to help community members connect, and we include members of the team from B Lab, the organization that oversees B Corp Certification. We’re also part of the growing B1 Network, which recognizes companies that are B Corps and members of 1% for the Planet, and celebrated the network’s launch at MO Summit 2024 with leaders of both organizations.

Sharing stories of positive impact is another important part of being a B Corp. Big Path is part of the network that contributes articles to B The Change, and we amplify content from that publication and B Lab U.S. & Canada in our newsletters and social media channels.

As we celebrate our sixth recertification, Big Path remains committed to improving our impact while using business as a force for good. Each certification cycle has taught us valuable lessons about tracking, timing, and the true meaning of impact. We look forward to continuing this journey alongside our fellow B Corps, creating ripples of positive change that extend far beyond our individual efforts.

Big Path Capital is a seven-time Certified B Corporation dedicated to connecting purpose-driven companies and funds with the capital they need to create positive change in the world.

 

Photo by Matt Howard on Unsplash