What Better Business Means to Avenue
By: Anna Madill
Tags: Stakeholder Capitalism, Business Strategy, Impact, B Corp, Anti Racism

3 Practices That Define Better Business

Being a B Corp is more than a certification. At Avenue, it means we put people first. We consider our impact on our employees, clients, and communities when we make decisions because we believe business should be a force for good. We also collaborate with organizations like Business for a Better Portland that care deeply about the communities in which we live and work and make a positive difference by supporting things like equitable access to capital, safe and efficient transportation, and affordable housing.

Below are three examples of what better business means to Avenue:

Taking actionable steps to dismantle white supremacy systems and culture.

Racism is a global crisis. To eradicate it, businesses have a leadership role to play that goes beyond rhetoric and puts words into practice. For Avenue, this includes learning about racism, marginalization and oppression, and sharing our learnings with the B Corp community and others, engaging with and supporting local anti-racism initiatives and taking action to dismantle racism in our business, community, and the system at large. Collectively, B Corps are a force for good in the fight against inequity and injustice.

Prioritizing worker well-being.

At Avenue, we place a premium on taking care of employees. We make decisions that prioritize our team’s well-being over productivity and profit. This practice has led to outcomes that are beneficial for both workers and the business in the long run. Our team members are the company’s greatest asset and are essential to business operations. We work on improving every day to ensure the team is heard, supported, empowered (including pursuing their dreams outside of work) and that high-trust communication is flowing.

Here are a few of the things that we do to prioritize worker well-being: Giving the team the understanding, space, and time (flexible schedule) to process difficult events like COVID-19, quarantine, wildfires, etc. Daily huddle check-ins and gratitude to start the workday. Virtual connection points such as yoga, happy hours, lunches, and backyard hangouts. Supportive parental leave benefits. Fridays off during the summer and early leave when needed to get out of the monotony of quarantine life. Taking Election Day off to support voting everywhere and to take a mental health break during a historic moment.

Helping women, BIPOC, and AAPI entrepreneurs grow and thrive.

As a woman, immigrant, BIPOC, and AAPI business owner, I believe it’s necessary to support, empower and lift up other marginalized founders, just as others have done for me. One way Avenue honors women and underrepresented entrepreneurs is to provide education that fuels the growth and success of businesses owned by people who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). In 2020, Avenue worked with eight women and BIPOC entrepreneurs locally and around the globe through pro bono digital marketing and business consulting. Through this work, we not only get to lend a hand, but we also learn from and are inspired by what these remarkable founders are building.

At Avenue, being a better business means that we are held accountable for our actions and improving our impact each year. We understand that we are responsible for each other and for future generations by the choices we make. By meeting the highest standards of performance, transparency, and accountability, we hope to inspire others to do the same.