OneSeed Expeditions has been named a “Best for the World™” B Corp by the international B Lab nonprofit network which certifies companies that meet the highest standards for social and environmental responsibility.
B Lab singled out the company for its exemplary performance in improving the lives of its workers around the world through fair wages, profit sharing, and professional development opportunities. The company ranks in the top 5 percent of B Corps of its size for its sustainable business practices.OneSeed Expeditions operates over 30 adventure travel expeditions in eight countries across five continents. It is one of only 38 tourism-based companies currently holding B Corp certification worldwide based on B Lab’s rigorous review process measuring social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Since becoming a certified B Corp in January 2020, the company has strived to stay true to its mission even as international travel largely came to a halt during the worst of the pandemic.
“While it has been an incredibly difficult time, we feel lucky to be recognized for our commitment to put people first,” said company founder and CEO Chris Baker. “Going through the B Corp certification really helped us streamline our internal processes. Having done that work, we felt more prepared to rebuild in a sustainable way.”
After international travel largely shut down in March of last year, OneSeed Expeditions ran a GoFundMe campaign to support its international guides and porters who do not have the financial support for furloughed workers that is available in the United States.
“Our generous travelers contributed thousands of dollars last spring to help out-of-work guides, many of whom now are finally getting back to work and welcoming clients on our expeditions in Peru, Tanzania, and Croatia,” Baker said.
He founded the company on the idea that travel choices matter. Anyone who books a trip with OneSeed Expeditions has 10% of their trip cost invested in local entrepreneurs through nonprofit microfinance partners. To date, over $374,000 has been invested in 767 entrepreneurs across five continents.
“As we begin running expeditions, we resume our commitment to the communities where we work,” says Baker. “We are excited to announce that we have disbursed our first 2021 loans of $6,000 USD to borrowers in Peru, Albania, and Colombia. We are also set to participate in a Business Accelerator round in Tanzania with expected loans of $5,000 USD. Over the last year, we have had to carefully balance our commitments to staff, partners, and our mission. These initial investments mark a true return to our dual mission of exploring the world and investing in people.”
More than 800 B Corps representing a broad range of businesses in 50 countries were named on the 2021 Best for the World lists. The selections are based on B Lab’s verified B Impact Assessments of Certified B Corporations. The full lists are available on bcorporation.net.