Petaluma Company Joins TOMS, Patagonia As 'Best For The World'

PETALUMA, CA — A Petaluma company has been recognized for having a positive impact on the environment and society. Clear Blue Commercial, a commercial real estate property management company located at 911 Lakeville St., was named a "B Corp Best For The World" honoree for its positive impact not only on the environment, but its workforce, its community, its suppliers, its clients and its corporate governance.

B Corp certification and Best For The World recognition are administered by B Lab, a global nonprofit.

Today there are 3,000 Certified B Corporations across 64 countries and 150 industries, dedicated to using business as a force for good and a shared goal of redefining business success.

Best For The World honors go to the top 10 percent of Certified B Corporations — for-profit companies — which must meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit with purpose, according to a news release.

The Best For The World ranking puts Clear Blue Commercial in the company of Certified B Corporations that include such well-known businesses as Patagonia, Beautycounter, Dr. Bronner’s, TOMS and Seventh Generation.

B Lab named Clear Blue Commercial to its Best For The World: Overall list as well as the Best For The World: Governance list. The 2019 Best For The World honorees are identified on the basis of the verified B Impact Assessments of Certified B Corporations.

Clear Blue Commercial is the only commercial real estate firm certified as a Bay Area Green Business, a Women-Owned Business and a B Corp, according to Carolyn Pistone, president and managing director of Clear Blue Commercial.

“It was Clear Blue Commercial’s goal since our founding five years ago to become a B Corp, and this honor is a recognition of philosophies we have long embraced,” Pistone said. “Because commercial buildings are the world’s largest single source of greenhouse gases, we knew we had a role to play in helping our clients operate more sustainably. We help them save money while saving the planet. We actually didn’t set out to be a differentiator, but we want every company to think about its impact on the environment and make conscious choices to improve the human condition and the world.”

Clear Blue Commercial’s mission, according to Pistone, is to help improve negative environmental impacts through real estate, setting the bar for responsible and successful businesses around the world. As a property manager, it introduces sustainability practices to decrease energy and water usage, saving its clients millions of dollars a year. Other services include thoughtful business operations and decision-making on even everyday practices like office product purchases.

B Lab says it doesn’t just evaluate a company’s product or service, it assesses the company’s overall positive impact. It evaluates how a company’s operations and business model affect its workers, community, environment and customers. To achieve the B Corp Certification, a company must attain at least 80 points on the assessment.

“We’re incredibly proud of this year’s Best For The World honorees,” said Anthea Kelsick, B Lab’s chief marketing officer. “These inspiring companies represent the kind of business models and impact-driven business strategies that are building a new economy — one that is inclusive, regenerative and that delivers value to all stakeholders, not just shareholders. To that end, B Corps like Clear Blue Commercial are redefining capitalism and showing that it actually can work for everyone.”