Benefit Corporations and Real Good Kitchen: Our Promise to the Knoxville Community
While some would argue that capitalism is a fundamental system to American society, not all companies value profit over social impact. As a Public Benefit Company, Real Good Kitchen aligns our mission with the standards upheld by Benefit Corporations.
Benefit Corporations, commonly referred to as B Corps, are companies that adhere to social, governance and environmental standards that promote good business in their communities. B Lab, a nonprofit organization, reviews whether these companies truly balance profit and purpose in efforts to contribute positively to their communities. The Certification assesses five impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers to determine both the strengths of the business and the areas on which to improve.
B Corps are held accountable to maintain the standards laid out by B Lab for public transparency in their business practices, all while serving society and the environment through sustainable practices. Customers of a B Corp business benefit from knowing where they are spending their money and understanding the values and operational transparencies the company upholds.
According to the Certified B Corporation website, there are more than 2,500 companies across 50 countries. Together, these companies hold each other accountable and create a community of leaders. Popular companies like Patagonia, Ben and Jerry’s, and Athleta are all certified B Corporations.
The B Corporation Declaration of Interdependence states: “We envision a global economy that uses business as a force for good. This economy is comprised of a new type of corporation—the B Corporation—which is purpose-driven and creates benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders.”
As a startup, Real Good Kitchen is not a certified B Corp yet, but we are committed to the values, operational practices, and impact that being a certified B Corp requires. Real Good Kitchen strives to create an inclusive community and a more equitable and sustainable economy by uplifting local food entrepreneurs as they establish and grow their brands, providing them with the resources they need to succeed. These resources include both physical space in the form of a shared commercial kitchen, but also a community of collaborators and a network of business resources.
We are constructing a food business education curriculum; one such educational resource is our Branding and Marketing Webinar for Food Businesses. The Webinar consists of an accessible five-part series, led by top marketing professionals in our community to offer guidance and strategy to build an audience and increase sales. This course is offered on a sliding scale to allow the maximum number of entrepreneurs to participate without feeling burdened by the cost.
Our other initiatives include business development and resource opportunities, one-on-one mentoring, and technical assistance such as creating business plans or scaling recipes, in addition to providing the physical production and storage space for our clients. We hope to start a fund to support those who need assistance to start or expand their business.
We stand firm by a commitment to make real social and economic impacts in Knoxville by creating a community that supports new and existing food entrepreneurs. We conduct business in a way that benefits a broader community, taking into consideration our customers, our stakeholders, and the environment.
We also support organizations with similar goals of public service: all proceeds and donations from our eleven-week Cooking School series benefited organizations supporting food industry workers, food access and racial justice. We raised $2,500 for local organizations like the Service Industry Coalition of Knoxville, Nourish Knoxville, Battlefield Farm, InterFaith Health Clinic, Project Be Kind, Black Lives Matter and the Highlander Center.
As part of our B Corp commitment, RGK will also work to achieve environmentally sustainable practices through recycling and composting initiatives; we hope one day to be a zero waste facility. We will seek out methods to create a healthier environment by supporting local producers and addressing issues of food security in Knoxville. We are seeking ways to make our facility more sustainable, such as using LED lights and utilizing alternative energy sources. As RGK grows, we will add more technologically advanced and environmentally friendly equipment. We continue to search for strategies to monitor energy consumption in efforts to reduce our environmental footprint.
We promise to challenge inequities within the food industry and seek social change in our community. By participating in social justice conversations, we aim to uplift voices in our community and fight for human rights. We continue to search for tangible ways to hold ourselves accountable for the promises we make to our community. As a team, Real Good Kitchen is currently reading Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist in an effort to educate ourselves and find ways forward in the fight for racial justice.
At Real Good Kitchen, our mission is to make change through food. This means using the power of food to build community and to create a more just, equitable and inclusive economy. Aligning ourselves with the B Corp community allows us to stay focused on our mission while building a sustainable business that will have real impact in our community.