BPM Earns B Corp Certification

BPM LLP, one of the 40 largest public accounting and advisory firms in the country, has been certified as a B Corporation (B Corp.). With more than 5,500 B Corps worldwide, BPM is one of only 15 accounting firms in the U.S. to achieve the prestigious B Corp distinction.

“B Corp status is the highest standard for socially responsible business, and this is a path BPM walks with great pride,” said BPM CEO Jim Wallace. “This certification is an important milestone in our journey of accountability, transparency and simply doing the right thing. The culture and corresponding effort that helped us to become a B Corp are not new. Since our founding more than 36 years ago, BPM’s colleagues have made a difference – not just to each other, but to our clients, communities, profession and environment.”

Leaders of a global movement using business as a force for good, certified B Corps undergo a rigorous assessment by the nonprofit organization, B Lab. This ensures they meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, ethical governance and legal accountability. Since the B Corp movement began 15 years ago, the B Corp network has now reached 79 countries and more than 150 industries.

BPM’s B Corp certification, a more than two-year process that assessed many of the Firm’s operations and procedures, marks the culmination of various overlapping corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives for the firm. Chief among these is BPM’s commitment to its “Because People Matter” brand promise. By cultivating a diverse and inclusive business environment, fostering leadership opportunities for women and members of underrepresented communities, and implementing a values-driven culture, the firm has established a reputation for delivering on this promise.

BPM’s B Corp status furthers our commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and broader sustainability initiatives. “We have long upheld strong standards for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and believed in making a positive impact on the environment and in our community,” states ESG Co-leader Su Rim. “ESG has become a crucial part of the modern business model and realizing our clients’ demand for expertise in this area, we found it our responsibility to launch our client-focused ESG practice.”

BPM has received numerous national awards and recognitions for its achievements in DEI, and the B Corp certification serves as an additional layer of third-party validation, transparency and accountability. It gives clients a 360-degree view of a company’s impact, further fostering a culture of trust and value.

“We take our dedication to corporate responsibility and driving social change very seriously,” said BPM Board Chair Rich Bellucci. “By achieving B Corp status, we are proud to take the next step in furthering our mission to help our clients and colleagues succeed in work and life, and to help the communities in which we operate prosper.”

As part of its commitment to the community and in honor of colleagues’ dedication to the B Corp mission, BPM is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to help restore forests in greatest need. Through this partnership, trees will be planted in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Oregon, and the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, Calif., which was devastated by the 2016 Sand Fire. Efforts to restore critical habitat and rehabilitate watersheds in the fire-stricken area will be completed through this gift, so that endangered species like the California spotted owl can once again thrive.

To view BPM’s B Impact Assessment and profile, click here.