People, Planet, Profit. Since Positive Energy Solar’s inception in 1997, our priority as a business has been to operate with these three priorities as our triple bottom line. The people we serve, the planet that we call home, and the profits that we can feed our families from and reinvest in our communities are equally important to our operations. Our founders built our business on these shared values and understood that for the decades ahead no matter what challenges come our way, we will never lose touch with these values that give our business its life and purpose. With these values in mind, Positive Energy Solar became a Certified B Corporation in 2013 to hold ourselves accountable to that triple bottom line. Certified B Corporations are held to the highest social and environmental standards in accordance with third-party nonprofit B Lab. At the time that Positive Energy Solar decided to become a Certified B Corporation, Benefit Corporations were not yet legally recognized in the state of New Mexico. In 2020, the Benefit Corporation law would finally be adopted.
What is a Benefit Corporation?
“Benefit Corporation” is a legal designation. Unlike traditional corporations, Benefit Corporations are required by law to pursue a "public benefit" purpose. This public benefit could encompass social, environmental, and/or other objectives. Benefit Corporations are required to consider the impact of their decisions on stakeholders, not just shareholders. They are certified as meeting the legal requirements to operate as a Benefit Corporation in their respective jurisdictions.
Whereas regular corporations could be vulnerable to lawsuits if any shareholders feel that the director is not making the proper decisions to maximize the value of their shares, Benefit Corporations are able to make a positive impact without being vulnerable to shareholder lawsuits.
While both Certified B Corporations and Benefit Corporations emphasize social and environmental responsibility, the former is a certification provided by a non-profit organization based on performance standards, while the latter is a legal designation for a specific type of business entity.
Positive Energy Solar is now legally recognized as a Benefit Corporation and has transitioned its third-party verification to achieve official certification from Benefit Corporations for Good (BCFG)
As a Benefit Corporation in New Mexico, we are legally required to submit to third-party verification and have a few options to choose from. As a company, we took the time to thoroughly review our current third-party verification under B Lab and evaluate what third-party standards and processes best align with our values as a company.
In 2023, we undertook a months-long process to gather input from stakeholders, shareholders, and Board members on our priorities in terms of ESG (environmental, social, governance) goals, where we stand now in terms of the impact we wish to have on the communities we serve, what we wish to achieve internally and externally in terms of our Impact Business Model, and what feels most authentic to us in terms of third-party standards to abide by. We met as a company and spent time engaging in conversations on these topics and collecting feedback. By the end of this process, we decided it was best to transition away from B Lab and embrace a new third-party standard more aligned with our vision and goals.
As of 2024, Positive Energy Solar is now a Benefit Corporation, third party verified by Benefit Corporations for Good (BCFG). BCFG is a third-party certifier that is building a community of purpose-driven businesses that aim to create meaningful change in their communities and the world.
What does this mean?
We are still the same values-based, mission-driven, triple bottom line abiding, employee-owned, local business you came to know and trust. We’ve simply made our commitment to our mission legally binding with a new third-party standard that we feel better represents our direction and goals as a small business. You can still look forward to our annual impact report every year and you will still see us on the ground in your community showing up to amplify local causes, spending time with the community members we take pride in serving, and reinvesting in community action. We look forward to strengthening and broadening our impact every year as New Mexico’s only Benefit Corporation in the solar industry.
Moving forward.
We look forward to continuing our role as New Mexico's local, trusted solar integrator, a title earned thanks to your loyalty and support. Our mission remains steadfast: forging a sustainable future for all New Mexicans. Our commitment to our values is unwavering, and we're driven to surpass your expectations in every aspect of our operations. As we expand our presence within the community, we aim to create an even greater positive impact. Thank you for your unwavering trust and partnership. Together, we're shaping a brighter tomorrow.
If you’d like to learn more about this change and/or have questions, please feel free to reach out to:
Christopher Fortson, Marketing Director / Employee Owner or Megan Bott, Community & Business Impact Manager / Employee Owner