Ranking: 34

Industry: Emergency Medical Services

Mission: A professional ambulance and medical emergency service provider in India, addressing the country’s healthcare gap. They care for all, regardless of their income bracket, and aim to create a leading network of fully equipped ambulances across the developing world. Have grown into a fleet of 3,022 ambulances with 10,000 employees across 18 states in the country.

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Ethical, Transparent, Socially Responsible

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“Saving a life is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can undergo in his/her lifetime.” — Mahatma Gandhi

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

In 2005, Ziqitza Health Care Limited (Ziqitza Health Care) was founded by Shaffi Mather, Manish Sacheti, Ravi Krishna, Naresh Jain, Sweta Mangal — a group of young professionals — as a result of two contrasting personal experiences.

Late one fateful night in India, Shaffi Mather’s mother choked in her sleep and had breathing problems. Faced with the uncertainty of what to do, which number to call, and whom to rely on for assistance, the family felt helpless and chose to drive her to the hospital themselves. Just a few days later, Ravi Krishna’s mother collapsed in Manhattan, New York, USA, and within minutes, 911 arrived, provided medical aid and his mother survived.

The founders realized that the difference in both scenarios was the availability and accessibility of standardised emergency medical services provided. Every life matters and every second counts in saving a life. We believe that countless lives can be saved and numerous casualties minimised, with adequate and quick transportation facilities.

ZHL recognized the need of organized and professional ambulance providers in the country, and thus began the journey to create the best emergency response service in India that would be on par with 911 in the U.S. and 999 in the U.K. They realized the urgency of an organized and networked ambulance service required for saving those lives that would have been otherwise lost, for want of timely medical attention.

While EMS services are extremely well developed in countries like United States, they were severely lacking in India till early 2000. Despite other developments in the healthcare sector, India had yet to establish a single, comprehensive EMS system that could be accessed by all. The existing system was fragmented and did not meet the acute demand. The main providers of ambulance services were private ambulance owners, hospitals, NGOs, and government agencies. Some services were free, while others were not.

There was no service that covered the entire city, and most ambulances had little or no medical equipment—they were largely stripped down delivery vans. Victims often arrived at the hospital in the back of an auto rickshaw, in a family member’s car, or even in the bed of a delivery truck. There was no ambulance service that covered the entire city, much less one that could be reached 24 hours a day at an easy-to-remember phone number similar to the 911 system in the U.S. The founders of ZHL were also very clear that the service should be accessible and affordable to all sections of the society without burdening those who did not have the capability to pay for the same.

This made them realize that there was no ambulance service in India that covered the entire city that could be reached 24 hours a day at an easy-to-remember phone number similar to the 911 system in the U.S.

It is a universally accepted fact that a patient who receives basic care and is transported tothe closest healthcare facility within 15-20 minutes of a severe injury has the greatest chance of survival. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a critical element of any healthcare system as it has the potential to save countless lives by providing immediate care. The state of emergency care, however, varies radically from developed countries to developing countries.

There is a high demand for quality ambulance services in India. India is very disaster prone; almost 57% of India’s land mass is vulnerable to earthquakes, 68% to drought, 8% to cyclones, and 12% to floods. Additionally, the ratio of traffic accidents per 1000 vehicles is 21.3 times higher than the world average. 30% of accident victims in India die due to delays in transportation to medical facilities

The existing system is terribly fragmented and does not meet demand. The main providers of ambulance services are private ambulance owners, hospitals, NGOs, and government agencies. Some services are free, while others are not. These ambulances are often unavailable on a regular basis, are in poor condition and do not have appropriate medical equipment or trained paramedics, and the time taken to arrive at a patient’s location is lengthy. Regardless, most people in India do not use ambulances for medical emergencies The statistics collected show why ambulances are typically not called for in India.

Three key reasons demand the need for high quality emergency healthcare in India:

1. Highest disaster and health accident prone areas in the world are in India
2. High road traffic accident ratio and poor road infrastructure
3. No established high quality emergency service in India

The solution of the founders to the above questions / issues was to set up and operate the ‘Dial 1298 for Ambulance’ Service as a cross-subsidy fee based business model. Under this model, it uses differential pricing: wealthier customers would pay the full rate for the Ambulance Service while the poor received a heavy discount and free service when required. To generate fixed income to service subsidized calls, 1298 gives external advertising space to corporates on yearly basis. Our corporate partners work with us through branding and awareness opportunities through our highly visible ambulance operations. This innovative pricing and leveraging corporate support has enabled us to make the service financially sustainable and cater to all sections of the society at the same time.

ZHL saw opportunity of partnering government to reach out quality ambulance service across the country, to execute the 108 services. Realising that it limited the opportunities for private organizations to participate in the process, ZHL played a very critical role in getting various states to introduce transparent bidding processes for private ambulance providers to bid for these PPPs in ambulance services. In 2009, ZHL won the 1st ever tendered out ambulance service in India (for Patna), bringing about a sequential change in other states also.

Keeping these factors in mind in 2005 and based on personal experiences of the founders the company was formed as Ziqitza Healthcare Limited. Our organization’s vision is to be the leading Ambulance Service provider in the developing world by assisting in saving human lives by providing a leading network of fully equipped Advanced and Basic Life Support Ambulances across the developing work.

We intent doing so, firstly, by adhering to our core values of being ethical, transparent and fostering teamwork within our organization. Secondly, in our road to realize our vision, we want to make sure that we meet international standards for quality in Emergency Medical Services, be accessible to all people irrespective of income and to be financially sustainable. At ZHL, emphasis on technology has been an important driver for improved service levels and quality of treatment during transit in emergency situations. Early technology adoption has helped ZHL with better management of our ambulance movements. During the very early stages the gap in existing training standards for the paramedics was very evident therefore to bridge this extensive emphasis is laid on skill training of the staff.

Today ZHL is operating more than 3300 ambulances across 16 states in India and has served more than people since inception. In last 15 years have created multiple service solutions that are tailor-made with quality standards benchmarked to international EMS. The focus has always been ensuring efficient transfers to trauma cenrtes by trained pre-hospital care professionals to save as many valuable lives. To this end, Ziqitza created different medical emergency response solutions, each serving the needs of very specific segments of customers and income class in India:

1. Corporate EMS Wellness: Targeted at hospitals, corporates and manufacturing facilities, Special Economic Zones, Corporate Parks, Events, Sports Facilities, Public Gatherings and many more. Staffed with trained paramedics and drivers to manage day-to-day fleet operations with both Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances and Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances
2. Cross-Subsidized Subscription Model: A subscription based model that guarantees ambulance services at one’s doorstep, and one pays what they can afford. By charging more from the affluent, ZHL was able to provide the same quality service to those who came from less affluent strata.
3. Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Model: ZHL engaged with State Governments under the PPP model, making quality and standardized EMS accessible even in the remote corners of the country. ZHL is also working closely with the government to move towards a single EMS number, and has partnered with state governments of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Punjab and the National Health Mission (NHM) to operate the 108 helpline for medical emergency services for the general public.

Industry Firsts by Ziqitza: The impact has been tremendous in area of EMS as an effort of ZHL like:

• First company to launch GPS tracking of ambulances in India in the year 2005 with an aim to reduce response time.
• First company to launch First Responder Programme (FRPs) to generate awareness and impart life-saving skills. 3,40,000 people have been trained till date.
• First Indian ambulance service to partner with the London Ambulance Service and the New York Presbyterian-EMS for knowledge sharing.
• Opened doors for Transparent tendering for PPP for EMS.
• Had Created an innovative model under cross subsidy that makes world class ambulance service accessible and affordable to all sections of the society In this way, what started as a social initiative has become a highly successful business model, which is going the extra mile to ensure every life counts.
• Saved 2,76,70,269 number of lives.
• ZHL has a fleet of 3025 ambulances.
• 10,000 employees across the country.
• Served over 24 million people till date.

ZHL has been cited as a case study for its social impact in reputable educational institutions like Stanford, Columbia and Yale.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

Be the leading Pre-Hospital Service Provider of the developing world. To assist in saving human lives by providing a leading network of fully equipped Advanced & Basic Life Support Ambulances across the developing world.

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Ranking: 76

Industry: Farming

Mission: The world’s first impact farming company that aims to upend the traditional farming model. They employ, support, and farm alongside local growers to raise crop yields with innovative farming technologies, empowering smallholder farmers and their communities while promoting renewable, sustainable environments. Over 800 people employed and 350 additional small farmers supported.

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Inclusive, Inspired, and Innovative

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“Shared-X is an Impact Farming innovator, and we aim to help catalyze a global Impact Farming movement.”

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

Shared-X has chosen an impact path in which our social impact goes beyond price premiums for smallholder farmers, and our environmental impact goes beyond organic for farm ecosystems. In this way, the magnitude of Shared-X’s impact is uncommonly powerful — for people and the planet. At Shared-X, we express all three letters of ESG: E + S + G.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

Shared-X’s vision is a global Impact Farming movement.

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Ranking: 8

Industry: Business Support Services

Mission: A dental service organization providing comprehensive business support services. Their support enables dentists to spend less time on the administrative, marketing and financial aspects of operating a practice and more time caring for patients. An assembly of 5,000 dedicated team members in over 425 affiliated dental offices on a mission to deliver smiles to everyone.

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Smiles for Everyone

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“Smiles for Everyone — we have a simple three word mission and vision statement that is the foundation for all we do. We start every meeting and interaction with a tie back to this statement and our goal of creating mutually beneficial win-win relationships at every turn.”

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

We focus on activating people into comprehensive oral health care. We generate half a million new patients into dental care each year in our 425 locations. Additionally, we donate free dentistry around the world throughout the year at outposts in Ghana, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Thailand, and Laos. We are expanding to Mexico in late 2020.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

We will continue to drive dentistry into the mainstream of oral healthcare and relieve pain and extend lives. We currently care for approximately 1.5 million Americans and are adding a location each week on average.

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Ranking: 44

Industry: Renewable Energy

Mission: A Vermont-based solar provider aiming to make clean, renewable energy simple and affordable. They offer numerous options for residential, commercial, and community solar, and have an ultimate goal to power the entire state with clean energy. Have thus far helped over 8,000 homes, businesses and schools go solar.

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Caring, Intentional, Joyful

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“SunCommon is a market-solution to climate change — organized as a Benefit Corporation and certified as B Corp to use the power of our business for good.”

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

SunCommon is the market-leading provider of residential, community and commercial solar in Vermont and New York’s Hudson Valley. We delight our customers with clean energy solutions to their power, heating and transportation needs while saving them money as we together address the climate crisis.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

Our human existence on Earth is powered by clean, safe, renewable energy from infrastructure built in our communities by local workers from diverse backgrounds who earn good wages and great benefits, employed by businesses that care.

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Ranking: 66

Industry: Food

Mission: A catering company and specialty foods retailer that seeks sustainable approaches to food service. They support local suppliers, run on 100% renewable energy, practice responsible waste management, and utilize sustainable transit solutions. Operate 8 locations in the Portland community, preventing over 1,000 pounds of food waste from entering our landfills each week.

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“The continuous-improvement philosophy of the B Corp community has always melded so well with us, because everything we do is trying to get better — from being a better employer and a better community steward to making a better-tasting sandwich.”

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

Since it was founded in 1979, Elephants Delicatessen has embraced three core values: excellence, unity, and sustainability. Our commitment to these values extends beyond our employees and customers to the larger Portland community, particularly our most vulnerable citizens. At the end of the night, each of our seven deli locations donates about 95 percent of their fresh food items to nearby non-profit partner organizations. Elephants’ catering department partners with about 30 organizations, by donating leftover food after events. Elephants has long been recognized as a champion of sustainable practices that reduce waste, and conserve energy. We invest in products that further this effort, including renewable energy sources, responsible waste management practices, and sustainable transit solutions. We also invest in the local economy: over 90 percent of our significant suppliers are located within 200 miles of Portland, keeping money and employment in the Pacific Northwest.

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Ranking: 95

Industry: Financial Services

Mission: A national provider of accounting back office support for charter schools. They manage the financial responsibilities of public charter schools and nonprofits, or teach them how to do it themselves, so their leaders can focus on achieving their respective missions. Support the right of every child to a quality education, and have positively impacted nearly 70,000 students.

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

KARMA, Equity, and Responsibility

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“The market for something to believe in is infinite.” — Hugh MacLeod

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

Due to our services and educational workshops, charter schools and nonprofits view and value responsible financial management as vital to the longevity of their organizations. They LOVE our approach of managing these duties for them, teaching them our Fiscal Responsibility Method (FRM) or a combination of the two. Financial mismanagement is the #1 reason for the closure of charter schools and and nonprofits. Zero charter schools and nonprofits that work with CSBM/FOREsight have closed due to financial mismanagement because we have implemented our Fiscal Responsibility Method at their organizations.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

Our company’s vision is to exponentially increase the number of charter schools and nonprofits that implement our Fiscal Responsibility Method to protect their 69,000 students/constituents served and 6,500 staff members we ensure are compensated for their efforts. We also currently account for $1.5 Billion of public funds. We envision all of these statistics quadrupling over the next 10 years based on the demand for our services and professional development workshops we share regarding our financial best practices.

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Ranking: 63

Industry: Real Estate

Mission: A green real estate, urban planning, and investment firm that helps metropolitan regions become more resilient, competitive, and equitable. They develop diverse, green, transit-accessible buildings and neighborhoods enriched with social, cultural and educational networks. Maintain over 12,000 units of affordable housing and save 3.6 million pounds of carbon output each year. 

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Regenerative, Collaborative, Kind

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“The poor distribution of opportunity, environmental quality and health are fundamental misallocations of justice. If we are to create a fair and just society, then it is our moral imperative to overcome them. We believe that housing-centered Communities of Opportunity are the platform to achieve social, environmental and racial equity.”

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

Communities of Opportunity begin with safe, green, stable, affordable housing. Our goal is to expand upon this base, to buy or build affordable and mixed income housing in lower income communities and provide or connect the transportation, health, education, social, cultural and other elements of opportunity to the residents so that they and our staff can become empowered partners with us and their cities in the transformation of their own neighborhoods. We aim to co-create communities in which all of our residents, employees, neighboring not for profits, government agencies, foundations and others can thrive, collectively generating safety, ecological and personal health, cultural vitality, collective efficacy and educational and economic opportunity regardless of their zip codes.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

We envision a world in which every community is an ecologically thriving landscape of opportunity, unleashing its residents’ opportunity to contribute to a better world, and to benefit from it.

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Ranking: 17

Industry: Packaging

Mission: A green packaging supplier that creates certified compostable foodservice ware made from plants. Their products use less water and energy to manufacture, and are designed to transform waste into healthy, new soil through composting. Donate 25% of profits to global grassroots social and environmental programs and to offsetting carbon emissions from raw material to delivery.

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Integrity, Community, Excellence

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“Through our plant-based compostable products, carbon offsets, and donations of 25% of profits to organizations working to alleviate environmental damage and humanitarian crisis, we are using business for a better world.”

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

Our products are plant-based and compostable, and intended to replace plastic and styrofoam foodservice ware which are often difficult to recycle. We donate 25% of profits from the sale of these products to fund social and environmental projects around the world, with more than $2.1 million allocated for donations in 2020.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

We envision a thriving world where everyone’s basic needs are met with a beneficial impact on the environment.

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Ranking: 50

Industry: Fundraising

Mission: Creates world-class online fundraising tools for nonprofits. They modernize the giving experience to accelerate social impact, and their annual Classy Awards spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing globally. Fundraising on their platform has doubled each year — resulting in thousands of nonprofits collectively raising $3 billion.

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Fun Meaningful Work

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“To mobilize and empower the world for good.”

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

Classy is a Certified Benefit Corporation that seeks to add value to all of our stakeholders. We deliver unquestionable value to our customers & their supporters, help employees feel their time at Classy is worth its weight in gold, create financial durability & returns over decades, and practice the belief that a business’ contribution to society is as important as its finances.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

Our purpose and values shape our vision for a stronger social sector; one where giving is easier and more accessible for billions of people around the world.

We believe an empowered and well-resourced social sector plays a vital role towards this envisioned future as the front-line champion for both humanity and the environment.

We believe in a reimagined corporate sector—one that plays a stronger role in society as a force for good and benefits all of its stakeholders, not just shareholders.

And we believe that breaking down the barriers between sectors, while incentivizing stronger collaboration towards our common goals, will accelerate “innovation for good” around the world.

The challenges in front of us won’t be solved by one person, one company, or one sector alone. We are inspired by the leaders who have come before us, and hope that our actions — over the next 100 years — will set a new precedent for conscious businesses as we work together to build a more inclusive and sustainable world for all.

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Ranking: 74

Industry: Real Estate Development

Mission: An urban home builder combating the negative impacts of climate change and resource scarcity via in-city homebuilding. They build sustainable and resilient communities from the inside out, focusing on transforming the market to consider resource efficiency when homes are bought and sold. Their projects have mitigated over 32 million metric tons of Greenhouse Gases to date. 

What 3 words best describe your company culture?

Authentic, Purposeful, Courageous

What quote best exemplifies your company?

“To resolve the dichotomy of the civilized [world] and the wild [environment], we must first resolve to be whole.” ― Gary Snyder

How is your product or service having a positive social and/or environmental impact?

Green Canopy was born out of a deep desire to address climate change. Yet, over the last decade, our theory of change has evolved to embrace a systems approach to change; we understand everything is connected. As urban infill developers, we recognize the critical role we play in shaping the urban environment. Our work is focused on making a positive impact by reducing urban sprawl, decreasing vehicle miles traveled, increasing neighborhood resilience and inclusivity, creating healthy, sustainable and affordable homes, and protecting our surrounding wildlands. The evolution of Green Canopy is captured best within our mission statement, we build homes, relationships, and businesses that help regenerate communities and environments.

What is your company’s vision for the future?

Our vision is to revolutionize the construction industry to drive down the cost to build, while providing sustainable, healthy, and affordable living spaces. We believe this will provide an economic boost to our economy, while also meeting the challenges of the housing crisis and future sustainability requirements. Furthermore, we believe in a future where Net Zero Energy homes are the norm, that these homes are affordable, our wildlands are preserved, our communities are vibrant and resilient, and impact investors earn profits.

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