When we started Ebony Tree Public Benefits Corporation (ET-PBC), we knew business could be more than balance sheets and bottom lines—it could be a vehicle for healing. Doing good wasn’t a tagline for us; it was a responsibility—to our communities, to the planet, and to ourselves. That’s why we set our sights on becoming a Certified B Corporation™. As we often say, “We wanted our integrity to enter the room before we did.”The idea of certification wasn’t about prestige—it was about proof. Proof that a Black-led, rural-rooted company could operate with the same rigor, transparency, and care as any global brand, while centering humanity in every decision we make.
Certified B Corporations™ are businesses that meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. They’re certified by B Lab, a global nonprofit that believes companies should balance purpose and profit. Think of a Certified B Corp as a company that takes an oath of good citizenship—a pledge to use business as a force for good. It means how you treat your employees, engage your community, and care for the environment are all measured against clear, global standards. For Ebony Tree, that meant looking deeply at our practices, policies, and purpose—ensuring they all aligned with our core belief that people and the planet must come first From Seed to Seal – Our B Corp Certification Journey
Every meaningful journey begins with a guide—and ours began with one of the great champions of the B Corp movement, Nathan Stuck, who teaches at the University of Georgia. Nathan and his class didn’t just advise us; they walked with us through every step. They asked hard questions, challenged us to think critically about our impact, and helped us translate our community-centered work into measurable sustainability outcomes.
Together, we built a roadmap that reflected who we already were—and who we aspired to become. From updating governance documents to tracking our community impact, every detail mattered. As we learned, “B Corp certification isn’t a destination—it’s a discipline.” There were long nights, reflective pauses, and moments of uncertainty. The process wasn’t about checking boxes—it was about holding a mirror up to our mission. By the time we reached our final verification call with B Lab, it didn’t feel like a test—it felt like a testimony. And when that official “You’re Certified!” email arrived, it was pure gratitude.
It wasn’t just our win—it was a victory for everyone who believes that business can be beautiful, just, and deeply human.
🌍 What It Means for Our Community – Good Trouble, Done Right
For us, becoming a Certified B Corporation™ wasn’t just a business achievement—it was a community declaration. It said, “Enough harm has been done to our people. It’s time to build something that heals.” We decided early on that we would always be good trouble for our community—the kind Congressman John Lewis spoke of. Good trouble means standing up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable. It means showing up with compassion and creativity to repair what’s been broken.
Through Ebony Tree, we’re redefining what it means to do business in the rural South—how a company led by Black farmers and changemakers can transform systems that have long excluded us. Becoming a B Corp gave us the language and structure for what we already believed: profits must serve their purpose, the planet is part of our bottom line, and equity isn’t optional—it’s essential.
In our community, this certification isn’t a plaque on the wall—it’s a promise. A promise that when we say we’re here to nourish, uplift, and restore, those aren’t just words. They are measurable commitments backed by accountability and action.
🌿 The B Is Just the Beginning
Becoming a Certified B Corporation™ was not the finish line—it was the beginning of something greater. For Ebony Tree, certification opened the door to transformative human care—a model built on honoring the people and places too often unseen, unheard, or undervalued. We fully embrace the mandates this certification brings—the call to operate with transparency, accountability, and deep respect for both people and planet.
It’s about changing the narrative: transforming spaces others have dismissed as “dumping grounds” into landscapes of dignity, growth, and hope. By living the principle of people and planet over profit, we’re showing what’s possible when business becomes a tool for restoration instead of extraction. The “B” in our certification doesn’t just stand for benefit—it stands for belonging, building anew, and being brave enough to care out loud.
