Better Banking Blog

Businesses and Nonprofits that Inspire Us to Fight Climate Change

Apr 11, 2022

Arms reaching around from behind a tree. The hands create a heart shape.

As a B Corp, Beneficial State Bank is committed to a triple bottom line: prioritizing community impact, environmental sustainability, and prosperity for all. We are committed to supporting businesses and organizations whose projects benefit our planet and never finance companies or projects that are extractive, pollutive, or otherwise hazardous to the environment. We are inspired by how our clients like those below lead the way with innovative solutions that are transforming our communities into sustainable and healthy places to live and work.

International Living Future Institute (Washington)

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) is a truly visionary organization aiming to catalyze the transformation of communities to become socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. The nonprofit was founded on the belief that providing a compelling vision for the future is required to reconcile humanity’s relationship with the natural world. One of ILFI’s most well-known programs is the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most advanced holistic performance standard for buildings. It consists of seven performance categories, or ‘Petals’: Place, Water, Energy, Health + Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. Learn more about ILFI.

Silver Oak Winery shown from an aerial shot. Vineyards, gardens, and solar panels on the roof are visible in the photo
Silver Oak Winery recently became the world’s first production facility to earn the International Living Future Institute’s prestigious Living Building Certification.

Portland Garment Factory (Oregon)

More than ten years ago, Portland Garment Factory launched Zero Waste Studio, upending the factory model as a leader in garment and soft-goods innovation, design, and fabrication. From their start in a tiny sewing studio, they have been resourceful with how they reuse fabric scraps. One practical way they cut down on material waste is to be very efficient with how they mark and cut. In 2018 they started pulverizing those small scraps offsite into what they call PGF Fluff. There are two types of PGF Fluff: organic cotton and mixed material fluff. This innovative approach led to creating a new product line, their Zero Waste Soft Goods line, using scraps and fluff as filler for cushions. Learn more about Pacific Garment Factory.

Zero Waste Studio images showing finished cushions and an example of fluff.
Zero-Waste Studio uses fabric scraps to minimize waste and create cushions.

Momentum (Northern California)

Momentum envisions a world where clean energy, water, and transportation are abundant, affordable, and available to all. Momentum works with companies that develop transformative water, energy, transportation, and manufacturing technologies. They have developed more than $5.5 billion in exciting projects, eliminating thousands of tons of harmful emissions. Their projects range from zero-emission trucks with Volvo to building the West Coast Electric Highway from Canada to Mexico and various projects at ports and distribution facilities. Learn more about Momentum.

Photo of Momentum's staff from 2019. Some are standing and others are sitting in front of a rustic building.
Momentum's team photo taken in 2019.

Good Fill by GD.STWRD (Central California)

Alyssa Ndombeson owns two businesses in Fresno, California that help people live sustainably: GD.STWRD (pronounced “Good Steward”), a lifestyle brand that offers tips and resources about living with a lower environmental impact, and Good Fill, a store that provides low-waste home and beauty products and refills. Good Fill offers a variety of products: dental care, skincare, laundry, cleaning, kitchen products, and more. Learn more about Good Fill.

GD.STWRD product photo featuring reusable bag, organic toothbrush, and other sustainable products.
Good Fill offers a variety of products: dental care, skincare, laundry, cleaning, kitchen products, and more.

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (Southern California)

Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is proving that green jobs have the power to drive equitable economic recovery if paired with strategic investment in workforce training. They create a holistic pathway for people from diverse backgrounds to participate in the green economy through three program areas: startup incubation, market transformation, and workforce development committed to enhancing communities. Learn more about LACI.

A recent LACI cohort, posing together pointing at the camera.
LACI designs workforce training programs to meet the needs of the cleantech industry and match trained candidates to paid, experiential internships.

Take action today

If you’re looking to make an impact with your actions, Green America offers resources that empower consumers, investors, businesses, and whole supply chains to address social and environmental challenges. Learn more about voting with your dollars.

We encourage you to align your banking with your values. Learn about our impacts and how we hold ourselves accountable to our environmental commitments. Consider moving your money to Beneficial State Bank today.

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Beneficial State Bank serves the triple-bottom-line of people, planet, and prosperity for all. That means prioritizing social justice and environmental sustainability. Our clients want to see their money put to good use – funding causes that defend our planet and build resiliency in our communities. Change your bank and help change the world.