Company: Barretto-Co.
Headquarters: California, United States
Industry: Advertising and Market research
Final B Corp Score: 101.9
Barretto-Co. is a creative agency of forward-looking futurists on a mission to create unforgettable experiences impacting positive change. They crave collaboration and partnership with like-minded clients who share their vision and values.
We asked Steve Barretto, Principle Creative, to share Barretto-Co.’s story and this is what he had to say:
Why was B Corp certification important for you?
Since 1994, Barretto-Co. has dedicated itself to using design as a force for good by offering creative services to non-profits in the areas of healthcare, education, the environment, the arts, and community building. Naturally, when B Corps formally arrived in 2007 as a certifiable business model, we immediately sought to become a part of the movement and the community. Steve Barretto had tried to complete the process twice unsuccessfully by himself, but given all of the responsibilities of operating a small business, he could not muster the knowledge or discipline to go it alone. Meeting the B Corp criteria of holding our studio to a higher standard for people and the planet is far more meaningful to our values than winning awards for creative excellence. Achieving both for our clients is our north star each and every day.
What did you learn from the certification process?
As a company going through the process, we learned new operational policies and the mechanics required to sustain our commitment to being a force for good. Personally, I found the process to be humbling, that it takes teamwork, patience, and a willingness to be vulnerable.
How did your company change through the certification process?
Our aspirational ideas about what it means—and what it takes—to be a service-oriented business with the goal of being a force for good are now documented in our policies and bylaws, with measures in place to track our commitment.
In your own words, what does it mean to be a B Corp?
It means that Barretto-Co. is now a B Corp community member sharing in the movement and belief that businesses and organizations have a responsibility to critically think about the outcomes of their actions as they relate to people and the planet in addition to the goals of meeting shareholder value.
What advice would you give to others considering certification?
For Barretto-Co., working with a consultant like Cultivating Capital was essential for us to becoming certified. Learning of our inclusion into the B Corp community is the penultimate acknowledgment of our “work” product—rising above and beyond any award or industry acknowledgment we have received over the course of being in business for 30+ years.
Jamie and Carolina at Cultivating Capital were exposed to the underbelly of our small business. They remained professional, focused, and kind through the entire process of lint excavation. And for this we are truly #grateful.
Join the Community
Whether you’re just learning about B Corps or are already far along your journey, you’ll find opportunities to improve your impact as a business by getting certified or recertified as a B Corp.
If you have questions or would like to talk about B Corp certification, please get in touch with us using the form below.