Sustainable Harvest has been certified as the newest B Corporation. The transition was overseen by B Lab, the non-profit creator of B Corporations. The B Corporation is billed as a new type of corporation — a corporation that meets standards for social and environmental performance, as well as creates benefits for all stakeholders rather than just shareholders.

"We became a B Corporation because we have always operated our business in a way that supports all of our stakeholders' interests," said David Griswold, the president of Sustainable Harvest, in a press release. "We are a triple-bottom-line focused company and we are excited to be part of a broader community of organizations that share a common vision."

Sustainable Harvest is one of the highest volume importers of organic and fair-trade coffee in North America. The company also pioneered the Relationship Coffee model, which acts as a mandate for transparent trade throughout the entire coffee supply chain.

B Lab oversaw Sustainable Harvest's certification process, ensuring the company met the B ratings requirements. Sustainable Harvest answered questions focusing on how the company conducts business, interacts with its stakeholders — everyone affected by the way the company operates, rather than just those who turn a profit — and its environmental impact. It proved that it had passed a certain threshold of social responsibility. Sustainable Harvest was also required to make changes to its corporate bylaws to become a B Corporation.

So far, B Lab has certified 124 B Corporations, including Method Home Products, King Arthur Flour and Dansko. The B Corporations are spread over 30 industries and represent a $900 million marketplace.

The founders of B Lab are Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan and Andrew Kassoy. Prior to founding B Lab, Kassoy worked as a private equity investor. Gilbert and Houlahan were, respectively, co-founder and president of AND 1 (a basketball footwear and apparel business worth $250 million).

While not all consumers recognize the meaning of the B Corporation stamp, it seems like it is a worthwhile indicator of a company's commitment to sustainability. Looking through the requirements for certification, it rapidly becomes clear that B Labs will not certify simply any company with a claim to social responsibility. Instead, the companies that gain B Labs' approval have reached above average levels of social responsibility and sustainability. B Corporations have made impressive environmental commitments and have grown because of them. Investors looking for green opportunities would do well to look at the more than 120 companies that have passed B Labs' stringent requirements.