Social responsibility and environmental friendliness are watch words for some businesses trying to gain consumer loyalty. But a new law in Vermont gives businesses the option to take their commitment a step further. We learn about the idea behind Vermont’s new law for Benefit Corporations, businesses that formally embrace social or environmental missions, in addition to profit motives. Host Steve Zind talks with Will Patten, executive director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, the group that lobbied hard for the law. And we hear from Don Mayer, owner of Small Dog Electronics, who plans to change his company’s charter to become a Benefit Corporation.
What role do you think businesses have in solving social and environmental problems? Post your comments below.
Also in the program, we tour the new state archives, which houses everything from the state’s earliest documents written on animal hide and parchment to today’s digital records. State archivist Gregory Sanford explains the challenges of organizing and preserving nearly 250 years of records.
And the Brattleboro band Happy Birthday may be on the verge of making it big with a new album on the Sub Pop label. VPR music contributor Matt Bushlow has a profile of the group.