Business as a force for good? Chris Jacobs, CEO of Communally, a certified B Corporation, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia fills us in on a new paradigm for business that actually balances purpose and profit. Certified B Corporations are legally required to consider their impact on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Join us to learn more about the global movement to do business based on doing well by doing good.
Chris is the Chief Executive Officer of Communally,a mission-driven Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp that combines technology and public policy with a commitment to community outreach to deliver practical solutions to the complex problems of poverty— moving households fromCrisis to Choice®. In Philadelphia, as well as throughoutPennsylvania, and multiple other cities and states, Communally provides a set of web-based services that enable outreach partners to help low- and moderate-income individuals and families stabilize through enhanced access to federal, state and local work supports and grow by obtaining assistance in obtaining refundable tax credits and through work experience management programs.
Communally was one of the first 10 companies to register as a Benefit Corporation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is an active contributor to the new Philly B Local. Communally is proud to have been recognized in B Lab’s 2013, 2016, 2017 2018 and lists of the “Best for the World”. Internally and externally, Communally works to ensure that “sustainability” encompasses social, economic and environmental justice, the equitable capital requirements of social impact companies and the recognition that workers must balance effort with replenishment to avoid burnout.
Chris brings more than 30 years’ experience in the international information and communications technology industry, with an emphasis on marketing, operational management, strategic planning and capital formation. He has been in leadership positions in Fortune 100 companies, as well as a leading contributor to entrepreneurial ventures and international consortia in Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, Australia and the U.S. He is recognized for his ability to communicate complex issues understandably and isa successful author of “Change Management and the Momentum of Open Systems”,Prentice Hall and “Discovering OMNIPoint — A Common Approach to theIntegrated Management of Networked Information Systems”, Prentice Hall.(More than 30,000 copies sold).
Chris is a member of the Board of the Sustainable BusinessNetwork of Greater Philadelphia and an active member of the B Local Philly community. He served on the Technology Leadership Group for Mayor Rendell’s Private Sector Task Force on Management & Productivity, served on theGreater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Small Business Board and spent several years as a Portfolio Manager for Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Resources
Communally
B Corporation Directory
Business Alliance for Local Living Economies
Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia
Social Venture Network
Green City, Clean Waters
