Entrepreneurial Best Practices Series

Benefit Corporations: A New Model for Sustainable Capitalism

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

6:45-7:00pm Registration

7:00-8:30pm Panel Presentation

Wells Fargo Room - Haas School of Business

Presentation PDFs available:

Fyfe

Marcous

Rahim

Storper

Sponsored by:

Join the Lester Center and Hanson Bridgett for a panel discussion on the Benefit Corporation, which was voted into law in fall of 2011, and already has over 600 Benefit Corporations. Hear from Jonathan Storper from Hanson Bridgett, who chaired and advocated for the Benefit Corporation, as well as a panel of social entrepreneurs, who have adopted this new corporate form.

Benefit Corporation is a for-profit, hybrid corporation that allows businesses to pursue both a social and or environmental mission. B Lab is a certifying organization that allows dual purpose organizations to measure and report their social impact. This session will provide an overview of how the Benefit Corporation and B Corporation compares to other legal structures and standards certifications. Social entrepreneurs will also discuss why they registered their companies as a Benefit Corporation and/or sought B Corp Certification by the non-profit third party, B Lab.

For more information about the Entrepreneurial Best Practices Series, call 510-642-4255 or email lester@haas.berkeley.edu.

MODERATOR:

Jonathan S. Storper

Jonathan S. Storper
Partner
Hanson Bridgett LLP

Jonathan represents entities and their investors in connection with business and intellectual property transactions, including formation, finance, contracts, licenses, joint development agreements, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property licenses, e-commerce, technology related matters and general corporate law. Jonathan also represents non-profits, trade associations and standards-setting organizations. He has a special affinity for, and expertise in social entrepreneurship enterprises.

FEATURED SPEAKERS:

Andy Fyfe

Andy Fyfe
Community Development
B Lab

Andy Fyfe works in Community Development for the nonprofit B Lab. B Lab is dedicated to using the power of business to address the world's most pressing social and environmental problems. Andy has a background in microfinance, non-profit management, co-working space design and operations, and is an alum of University of Colorado at Boulder with a BA in International Affairs and a certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies. For B Lab, Andy works to build the community of Certified B Corporations and amplify the voice of these entrepreneurs by differentiating themselves through standards, being legally protected to consider stakeholders, as well as accessing mission-aligned capital.

Alexia Marcous

Alexia Marcous
Co-Founder and Chief Optimistic Officer
Dharma Merchant Services

Alexia is Co-Founder and Chief Optimistic Officer of Dharma Merchant Services. Alexia holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an M.B.A. from Drexel University. Before founding Dharma, Alexia was a computer programmer and systems architect for 12 years, serving companies and non-profits in the financial, insurance, pharmaceutical, energy and technology industries. She is a mentor for the Presideo Graduate School Sustainable Management MBA program, and sits on the advisory board of People Powered Savings, a community lending circle, and Green Streets, a recycling and composting operation working in San Francisco's largest public housing developments and run by the residents there. Alexia also founded and runs a chapter of Dining for Women, a fundraising organization for international women's organizations.

Ahmed Rahim

Ahmed Rahim
Co-Founder/CEO
Numi Organic Tea

Ahmed Rahim is the co-founder, CEO and alchemist behind Numi Organic Tea, the largest organic, fair trade premium tea company in North America. Before launching NUMI in 1999 in Oakland, California with his sister, Reem, Ahmed studied Theater & Psychology in New York City, and then spent a decade living, working and traveling throughout Europe as a professional film maker and photographer. At NUMI, Ahmed travels to remote regions of the world seeking unique herbs and teas unknown in the U.S. He travels to China, India, Africa, South America and other herb and tea-growing countries building partnerships with the farmers, sponsoring schools, hospitals, community centers, road construction and other needs to improve the farming and agriculture community living standards. Since 2009, Ahmed and his sister Reem have been evolving their vision through the NUMI Foundation. Most of the Foundation’s initiatives focus on awakening and supporting the challenges within inner city of Oakland; from education to health and nutrition. Ahmed’s core goal is to be of service to those focused on caring for their community and mission to create positive change for our environment.

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