{"id":98640,"date":"2018-04-13T15:58:34","date_gmt":"2018-04-13T19:58:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=98640\/"},"modified":"2020-01-14T14:47:30","modified_gmt":"2020-01-14T19:47:30","slug":"living-aparigraha-becoming-a-b-corp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/de\/journal\/living-aparigraha-becoming-a-b-corp\/","title":{"rendered":"Living Aparigraha: Becoming a B Corp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Merchandise produced with partners committed to sustainability is one commitment Wanderlust has made in our journey to becoming a B Corp. The spring\/summer 2018\u00a0adidas x Wanderlust co-branded line<\/a>, for example, was developed with\u00a0Parley for the Oceans<\/a>, an initiative whose intent it is to bring awareness to the plastic problem in our oceans. Select pieces in the line were developed using Parley Ocean Plastic\u2122\u00a0\u00a0fabric, recovered from the deep blue.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Though written before 400 CE, there\u2019s modern practical application to Patanjali\u2019s Yoga Sutras<\/a>\u2014even in unexpected ways. Brahmacharya, for example, reminds us of the power of saying no; Tapas helps us stay motivated even when work is tough. But when it comes to aspects of modern life like capitalism, the wisdom and principles touted by Patanjali can seem incongruous at best. Not so. Enter: Aparigraha<\/a>, the Yama that encourages us toward the principle of non-grasping. <\/span><\/p>\n

Non-grasping, in this context, doesn\u2019t necessarily mean to not own things. Instead, we can think of it as direction to carefully consider how we relate to the material world. It\u2019s about foregoing greed and living principedly, down to your every purchase; about choosing possessions that truly mean something to you (Kondo method<\/a>, anyone?) <\/span><\/p>\n

For businesses, it can mean operating from a place of conscious decision-making, weighing choices to consider the greater good with as much importance as the bottom line. <\/span><\/p>\n

Conscious Capitalism\u2014The B Corp Movement<\/h3>\n

As it turns out, there are more than 2,200 businesses that have officially committed to this concept by becoming a Certified B Corporation<\/a>. To become a B Corp, a company must submit to a rigorous examination of social and environmental performance, ethics, accountability, and transparency. The company must, in essence, prove that it is operating from a place of Aparigraha. <\/span><\/p>\n

What better candidate to submit to the process than one whose mission it is to help others find their true north? Becoming a Certified B Corp has been a goal of Wanderlust\u2019s co-founder and CEO, Sean Hoess, since the inception of the company. When establishing the mission of Wanderlust, it was clear that producing incredible events wasn’t enough. The founders wanted it to be a force for positive social change, community-building, and individual transformation. <\/span><\/p>\n

This year, that dream became reality<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

„It has been so gratifying to see such a large community grow around the pillars of mindful living\u2014yoga, the arts, personal spirituality, environmentalism, and conscious consumerism\u2014and to know that Wanderlust is becoming a central gathering point for this community,“ says Hoess. These pillars, when considered capitalistically, all ladder up to the concept of Aparigraha: Practicing non-grasping of personal attainment; instead implementing policies and actions that ladder up to the greater good. <\/span><\/p>\n

What Mindful Policies Look Like<\/h3>\n

Environmental considerations have been an integral part of Wanderlust events since Day 1, and with the certification, will continue to be the fulcrum from which mindful experiences pivot. All of Wanderlust events (both festivals and 108s) have composting and recycling. When attendees purchase a festival ticket, they can choose to donate to offset their carbon footprint<\/a>\u2014a donation which Wanderlust matches. This year, we\u2019re rolling out a \u201cWander Without Waste\u201d initiative, which means no plastic silverware or water bottles on-site. Both attendees and talent will be encouraged to bring their own refillable containers.<\/span><\/p>\n

But becoming a B Corp is more than environmentalism alone. It\u2019s also about the way companies engage with their employees and their patrons. The certification, says Hoess, provides accountability and transparency into key pillars of Wanderlust\u2019s mission. As such, a slew of new policies have been implemented, as well as benefit programs that mindfully align. These, of course, were among company facets analyzed during the exacting certification process. <\/span><\/p>\n

While Hoess says Wanderlust is thrilled to be joining the ranks of other mindful B Corps<\/a> changing the world, he acknowledges that this is just the beginning. \u201cThe assessment process has taught us where we can grow and improve as an organization,\u201d he says, \u201clooking at sustainability, governance, supporting our employees, and community we serve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That community, notes Andy Fyfe, Senior Growth officer at B Lab, can now take the same pride that it does by participating in mindful events that it does when interacting with Wanderlust as a whole. \u201cThose who go to Wanderlust’s events around the world know its commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and fostering a healthy community around personal wellness,\u201d he says. \u201cBy certifying as a B Corp, the Wanderlust community can translate that same pride they take in the events, to Wanderlust <\/span>as a company<\/span><\/i> using business as a force for good.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n