After almost three years of work, Vector Global Logistics officially joined Georgia’s growing community of certified B Corps! Headquartered in Atlanta and with employees around the world, Vector started the process of certification back in 2021. But even though they are rooted in purpose, they quickly realized this was turning into a large container ship, not a speed boat (and yes, you see what we did there).  

In mid-2023, Vector reached out to Profitable Purpose Consulting for a little bit of help navigating their post-submission journey through B Lab’s evaluation and verification stages. And after nine months of back and forths, data gathering, and review calls, Vector has officially joined the B Corp community!

And they haven’t just joined—they’ve jumped in feet first! Vector was on location at Champions Retreat in Vancouver less than two weeks after their official certification. Their Co-Founder and Managing Director, Enrique Alvarez, has quickly plugged into what’s happening with B Local Georgia, and they’re bringing a new energy to the Peach State and beyond. 

We recently sat down with Enrique to talk about their B Corp certification, why he pursued it, and what’s next for Vector Global Logistics.

PPC: At times, it seemed like this day might never come. But we did it. Congratulations. How does it feel to be a B Corp? 

Enrique: It was a long road, with lots of ups and downs, but it was an incredible feeling to get that welcome email. It was also a lot of work, but to see it pay off was something I’ll remember for a long time. And to not only be certified in the US, but Mexico and Chile as well is a huge accomplishment for our team. This has definitely become a milestone in our company’s history.

PPC:  We remember Kristi Porter, your CMO, asking us when we thought we might know about the final score, that y’all really wanted to attend Champions Retreat. Well, we didn’t, but it was two weeks before, and y’all made it. What was that experience like? 

Enrique: After being at the Champions Retreat, we were even more excited about our certification. Every conversation that Kristi and I had there was with an incredible company that not only understood the path to being in that room, but also had its own remarkable mission that we wanted to hear more about. We quickly saw what a special community this is, and look forward to meeting more people and seeing how we can all work together to change the world and make business a force for good. 

PPC: We’re getting bigger and bigger companies like yours interested in B Corp certification. What drew you to this movement, and how do we continue to grow it in Georgia? 

Enrique:  We felt very aligned to this movement and community already, so this was a way to make it official. We like to say that “logistics is another vehicle for changing the world,” and being a B Corp reinforces it. Plus, purpose-driven companies and nonprofits are who our team loves working with most, so it will hopefully allow us to have more conversations with people who already have similar beliefs and have similar values. We are excited for what’s in store.

As far as growing the movement within Georgia, I think each of us have to help make the certification more visible and understandable, by spreading the word. This includes educating clients, partners, and the general public on what it means to be a B Corp, and also inviting others to certify so we can continue to grow the network. Some will certify because it’s what they want to do; some will certify because of stakeholder pressure. Either way, we all benefit by growing the network.

PPC: The logistics industry never rests—ships, planes, and trucks are always in transit. Have you had the time to think about what’s next for Vector now that you’re certified, both as a company and in the B Corp community? 

Enrique:  One of the things we talked to B Lab US & Canada about at the Champions Retreat was creating a group for supply chain. It’s an industry that influences every product we all touch, yet it can be so complicated and inaccessible. We hope to use our expertise as a resource for other B Corps who need help navigating this topic. Coming soon!

As a company, in general, we have always wanted to challenge the status quo in our industry, and I think a B Corp Certification^TM helps just do just that. There are few logistics providers that are certified, and less than a handful of freight forwarders. We hope when people see that logo or read that we are certified, it starts conversations about what needs to change in our industry and why. I believe this is an excellent next step.

PPC: We’re biased, since our CEO is also the Executive Director of BLD Southeast. Why should people come to Atlanta 9/11-9/12? What will they learn when they visit the hub of diverse and sustainable business (and tech, and movies, and hip hop, and…)? 

Enrique:   We had so many amazing conversations at Champions Retreat, and this will be the next best thing. Come to hear the what, how, and why for doing things better—and learn applications for your own company. We all get stuck in our own way of doing things and thinking, and this will be an opportunity to refine and grow. As a leader, that’s the best thing you can do for your company. It may be one idea that you takeaway or lots of ideas from sessions and conversations. Anything and everything is a win, and can put your company on a better path than it was the day before.

Profitable Purpose Consulting is a full service culture and impact agency that specializes in B Corp certification. While they’re headquartered in Georgia and their heart is in the southeast, they work with clients around the world and have a network just as global. At PPC, it’s not just the certification, it’s successfully implementing every part of the process and telling the story of the good you do.