Hope (Generation Hope Inc.), the company behind the ‘Hope In A Bottle’ brand, has earned a place among the ‘2018 Best for the World List’ released recently by B Lab, a non-profit organization that certifies companies based on how they create value for their employees, the local community, and the environment.
B Lab combed through its roster of over 2,000 certified “B Corps” to identify companies that are not just “best in the world”, but more importantly “best for the world”.
B Lab’s “Best for the World” is the only list of businesses that use comprehensive, comparable, third party-validated data about a company’s social and environmental performance.
B Lab co-founder Jay Coen Gilbert said Hope has distinguished itself as a company that is “changing the system by building businesses that seek to create the greatest positive impact”.
“With the rise of anger at a system that feels rigged, people are hungry for companies like Hope,” he said.
Hope founder Nanette Medved-Po said: “We believe that every Filipino has the power to vote with their peso about the things they value most.”
“Today, we are in the midst of transforming Hope into a movement that – fueled by the power of co-branding – makes it easier for Filipinos to give back,” she said.
Hope was certified a B Corp last year for its rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. It was the first Philippine company to earn the distinction.
The B Corp list includes ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s and reusable bottles maker Klean Kanteen.
Hope was formed in March 2012. Unlike most non-profits and charity groups, the company runs a business. But all its profits go into building classrooms. In Hope’s case, the business has been bottled water: Hope in A Bottle.
It has so far sold over 13 million bottles with the help of corporate partners like Starbucks, UCC Coffee, 7-Eleven and the Seda hotel group, allowing it to build 57 classrooms around the country.
“We’ve put building public school classrooms at the top of our list, and invite everyone to build more, one Hope product at a time,” said Medved-Po.
