Benefit Corporations: History, Purpose, and Future

A new breed of “hybrid corporations” has exploded on the scene which challenges the traditional view of corporations as profit-maximizing entities whose primary, and perhaps sole, the mission is increasing shareholder value. Also called L3Cs (i.e., low profit, limited liability corporations) or
B (Benefit) Corporations, these household names like Burt’s Bees, Ben and Jerry’s, Seventh Generation, Sun Ovens, PAX Scientific, and Maggie’s Organics, challenge traditional corporations to seek positive social/environmental change while creating mutually beneficial
relationships with stakeholders. Yet, the decision of whether to adopt this corporate form is challenging and the tangible costs and benefits of doing so are still unclear to many practitioners.

This course seeks to shed light on the salient considerations in advising corporate clients of whether to choose this corporate form and what the implications both internally and externally of doing so might entail. Regardless of the corporate form selected, however, with a direct-action
approach, successful corporations will not only anticipate these changes but fluidly adjust business practices to be more transparent and responsible in their global supply chain management to ensure ethical sourcing and long-term benefits to global communities.

Time Schedule:

Eastern Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Central Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Mountain Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Pacific Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alaska Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Hawaii-Aleutian Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM