B Corp and impact business conference is Sept. 9-12

The largest national gathering of B Corp and impact businesses will take place Sept. 9-12 in St. Petersburg.

BLD Southeast (pronounced build) is an annual conference of the B Corp community, with a regional focus on Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, Washington DC and Tennessee. The southeast chapter is part of the larger BLD network in the U.S., which also hosts regional conferences across the country.

B Corp is a certification bestowed by the nonprofit B Lab, designating that companies have met rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

“If you think of Fair Trade coffee, that certification tells you nothing about the company’s operations. It doesn’t tell you how the company operates – it’s just a certification for the production of the coffee,” Jared Meyer, co-founder of Florida for Good and owner of multiple B corp businesses, explains.

“B Corp is at the company level, so they may have multiple different products. Those products may also be organic and fair trade or other certifications, but it looks at the company level to ensure the company, in the totality of its operations, is upholding responsible and regenerative practices.”

While the BLD Southeast 2025 will focus on businesses with this designation, the conference is open to “anyone who believes in a reimagined capitalism that values both profit and purpose.” The multi-day event aims to expand networks, foster an appreciation for Florida’s beautiful wildlife, educate attendees on best practices and maybe even attract a few more (good) businesses to the region.

Embodying the B Corp ethos of giving back to the community and the land, the conference opens with a beach cleanup in Indian Shores before transitioning into welcoming remarks and a territorial acknowledgement hosted by representatives from the Miccosukee Tribe. The event continues with excursions throughout the region, including a walking tour through Campbell Park and a visit to the St. Pete Youth Farm.

The Thursday event, held at the University of South Florida St. Pete Conference Center, includes speakers including Sarah Schwimmer, co-lead executive of B Lab Global; Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet; Timothy Henry, CEO of Conscious Capitalism; and other heavy-hitters in the sustainability realm.

Local leaders including Mayor Ken Welch and Byron Green-Calisch, board president of St Pete Pride, will also be presenting.

Panel and workshops include offerings such as: “Building Your Marketing Roadmap for Sustainable Growth,” “Banking and Investing on Values: An Expert-Led Workshop on Climate Finance” and “Impact Rebel: Ignite Your Passion.”

Previous BLD Southeast conferences were held in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, but Meyer, who is also one of the hosts of the conference, was particularly interested in bringing this year’s event to St. Pete because the city has been a catalyst for the larger B Corp movement in Florida. 

St. Pete for Good, a pioneering group of values-aligned, B corp curious businesses in St. Pete, was co-founded by Meyers in 2018 and has grown into Florida for Good with regional programs in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa Bay.

“While we have activity elsewhere in Florida, we wanted to honor kind of where our roots are, which come from St Pete. But additionally, a lot of the concepts we’re talking about are just better embraced in St Pete than other parts of Florida.

“St. Pete, in how it operates, the values that it embraces, the inclusiveness of St Pete is very much of a natural in the B Corp movement. It’s about being inclusionary, it’s about being regenerative and being equitable, and St Pete is all of that.”

Plus, Meyer says, there’s something special to be experienced in the city.

“We wanted a place where we could highlight exceptionalism in these areas, and I think St Pete does that. St Pete represents everything that we care about and stand for, and we wanted to visually show that by hosting it here.”

For tickets and additional information, visit https://bldsoutheast.com/

(Need-based discounts are available, so if financial constraints are an issue, please reach out to conference organizers for accommodations.)