BLD Mountain West 2025: Schedule

 

    • Lindsey Merkle, B Local Colorado Board Chair

  • What Gardens Do & How it Overlaps with B Corp Mission // Launch Transformation Hub

    • Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd (Director of Marketing and Social Responsibility, Denver Botanic Gardens and Co-Director, One World One Water Center)

  • Join us for an inspiring “State of the B” address in which Ellonda will share insights about the current state of the B Corp movement in the U.S. and Canada, highlighting B Lab’s focus on new standards and the critical need for collaboration to meet the challenges of today. You’ll hear actionable steps and key insights for advancing our collective impact, driving positive change, and shaping the future of the B Corp movement in the years to come.

  • Workplace conflict can arise even in B-Corps and even when everyone involved has the best of intentions. What's commonly considered "professional communication" encourages leaders to express their arguable opinions as inarguable facts. When combined with positional power, this style of communication creates a psychologically unsafe environment for all. In response, colleagues feel the need to defend, explain, and raise their voices to feel heard--increasing the chances of an unproductive conflict. On the other end of the spectrum, some colleagues go silent and disengage from work. Both strategies--silence and violence--create an unhealthy work environment. When leaders speak arguably, they get resistance. When leaders speak inarguably they get safety, engagement, and results.

    • Hugues Sygney Jr. (Senior Racial Equity Program Manager, B Lab U.S. and Canada)

    • Kylie Nealis (Senior Climate Justice Program Mana, B Lab U.S. and Canada)

    • Jervis DiCicco (Board Member and Policy Council, Good Business Colorado)

    • Erin Hottenstein (Senior Advisor and Confidence Cultivator, Trebuchet Group)

    This session explores the interconnected roles of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), frontline community partnerships, and policy advocacy as critical pillars for advancing collective action. Through storytelling, practical examples, and actionable strategies, we will demonstrate how businesses can build resilience, trust, and impact in divisive times. The panel will highlight B Lab’s Theory of Change, emphasizing its integration of racial equity, JEDI education, and climate justice. Panelists will discuss the historical significance of the B Corp movement in navigating challenges, the role of policy in driving systems change, and strategies for meaningful partnerships with frontline communities.

  • With only 71% of B Corps currently feeling that they are either already meeting the standards or that they are possible to achieve, many companies are seeking clarity and direction. This session will demystify the new standards and provide a clear path forward.

    Attendees will learn:

    • What's changing in the new standards, with an overview of the specific requirements

    • Critical timelines and deadlines for transitioning to the new standards

    • How to evaluate their company's readiness for the new requirements

    • Practical steps to begin preparing now, including building infrastructure to support upcoming changes

    • Strategies for turning new requirements into opportunities for business improvement

    Rather than viewing these changes as a compliance burden, participants will leave understanding how to leverage the new standards to build stronger, more impactful businesses. This session is ideal for current B Corps preparing for recertification and companies considering certification under the new standards.

  • UpHouse commissioned a third-party Queer-owned-and-operated research company, Mat Meir Consulting, to gather insights from the 2SLGBTQI+ community across Canada and the USA. Using these findings, this session will outline actionable steps for corporations and their partners to genuinely support the 2SLGBTQI+ community. This includes fostering inclusive workplace environments, promoting inclusion and representation within corporate structures, and actively supporting 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and causes beyond the month of June. It will emphasize the importance of authenticity, transparency and accountability in corporate allyship. Together, we can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for 2SLGBTQI+ individuals within both corporate spaces and broader society.

  • This session will help brands think about expanding from “Environment” to “Environmental Stewardship & Circularity,” and provide the business case and inspiration to start investing in Circularity ahead of their next recertification. There is inherent business value in making this switch sooner rather than later: “business as usual” models treat products as waste at the end of their life, sending them to landfill or winding up as ocean or land pollution. In fact, in fact there is huge capital value in the natural resources and human labor that goes into each product. By investing in reverse infrastructure, behavioral change, and circular systems, businesses can recapture this value and prosper, decoupled from the wasteful business-as-usual model. This session will support the business community in envisioning a B Corp-compatible business model that balances profit with planet and people through a circular economy principles.

  • This session draws on the insights and experiences of B Corp women CEOs—all members of WeTheChange—to outline the benefits of B Corp partnerships, including a more sustainable supply chain; faster service ramp-ups; savvier, mission-aligned advice; and the potential for collective action. Panelists will provide examples of positive impacts (as well as negative impacts avoided), and tips on sourcing partners and evaluating their impact. They’ll also cover strategies for collaborating through B Corp networks in ways that serve all participants and attract others to our movement by demonstrating the power of our ecosystem.

  • The B Corp Certification process is a powerful tool for building sustainable, resilient businesses, but it can be challenging to navigate. This panel will explore the real-world challenges of certification, offering practical insights and strategies to help you optimize your score and turn your certification into a strategic advantage for growth and success in challenging political and economic times.

  • In this hands-on workshop, Avery Young, Co-Founder and B Corp Consultant at Everoot Consulting, will guide you step by step through the Purpose & Stakeholder Governance requirements in the new B Corp Standards. You’ll explore real-world examples, learn how to apply them at your company, and leave with a clear path forward. Whether you’re new to B Corp or well established in the community, this session will help you align with the updated framework while shaping a business that truly reflects your values.

  • This workshop is uniquely crafted for Certified B Corporations seeking to align their operations with the new JEDI standards. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) standards represent a pivotal shift for Certified B Corporations, calling for deeper commitments to equitable practices and systemic change. But how do organizations translate these aspirational standards into actionable outcomes? This workshop blends education and strategy, equipping participants with a clear understanding of the updated JEDI standards and a roadmap to identify and address the barriers that may impede their progress.

  • Following upon the mainstage presentation at the BLD Mountain West, Aclymate CEO & Climate Dad Mike Smith will explain about why your business should act on its climate footprint. Moving beyond the B Impact Assessment, Mike will discuss the current understanding of the science, how that affects climate justice, and the ways it will impact you and your business. He'll move into practical steps you can take to make change, comply with the BIA, and how you can improve your affects upon environmental justice.

  • As AI technology continues to evolve quickly and transform what’s possible in our everyday business practice as well as supporting moonshot moments, business leaders must develop foundational best practices now. As with the adoption of any transformative technology, a secure and ethical approach to AI practices balances innovation and efficiency with societal and cultural goals. From internal governance to policy development to communications development, businesses – especially value-driven organizations – should integrate ethical, secure, future-forward practices now as their businesses and AI capabilities grow. Our panel of experts in technology, product development, communications strategy and branding, and business consulting will offer key directional thinking on AI best practices to attendees.

    • Moderated by Brian Lichtenheld (CFP, BSW Wealth Partners)

    • Ryan Laemel (COO, Protect Our Winters)

    • Kylie Nealis (Senior Program Manager, Climate Justice, B Lab)

    • Zacharia Levine (VP of People & Sustainability, The Synergy Company)

    This session equips the B Corp community with practical tools and real-world insights to align financial practices with their mission and values. It builds on the principles of the Business Climate Finance cohort, showcasing innovative approaches to addressing financed emissions, engaging financial institutions, and fostering collective action. By highlighting diverse expertise—from finance and insurance to advocacy—the panel will inspire attendees to lead systemic change in climate finance and sustainability.

  • Given the dual crisis of culture and of climate facing the United States, how exactly do daring brands meet the emotional needs of its leaders, employees, and customers? Of these nuanced needs, which are they to prioritize and how do they navigate with both pragmatism and optimism? The urgency of now suggests that every sector must offer an invitation to transformative social experiences and the pursuit of exceptional design. This keynote offers ten principles for consideration in advancing the future of all design.

  • Corey Clark, B Local Colorado Board Chair

 
 

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