Martha’s Vineyard Bank is a Certified B Corporation™
As the first B Corporation Certified Bank in Massachusetts, we are excited to be a pioneer for banking as a force for positive change. With B Corporation Certification, we are extending our commitment to people and community. Becoming a B Corp was the logical next step for a bank that was created to build strong and prosperous communities.
"B" part of the movement and see how banking can be a force for good. Join us by simply opening an account.
Martha's Vineyard Bank is a Certified B Corp
What is a B Corp and what does it mean for you?
"What Exactly is a B Corp?" Read More
Long before becoming a watchword for B Corp Certification, “banking as a force for good” has been the mission of Martha’s Vineyard Bank. Since its founding 114 years ago, the Bank has prided itself on being an employer of choice, a financial resource that puts people first, a community leader focused on helping make life better for all its neighbors, and a steward of the natural spaces and coastal culture that have made Martha’s Vineyard and Falmouth unique and beloved places for generations.
As the first B Corp Certified bank in Massachusetts, Martha’s Vineyard Bank joins ranks with progressive companies like Patagonia, Bigelow Tea, Allbirds, King Arthur Baking Company, Athleta, New Belgium Brewing, Ben & Jerry’s, and Seventh Generation.
What does our certification as a B Corp Bank mean for you?
Our certification as a B Corp Bank means that your money is in safe and caring hands. Instead of operating only to make a profit, we pledge to leverage our strengths to make a difference. As a member of the B Corp community, we are proud to join with the most progressive companies in the world to create a more socially equitable and sustainable future.
B Corporation certification is given to businesses that meet the highest standards of verifiable social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. This movement is helping redefine success by giving companies, and their customers and communities, a tangible and measurable benchmark.
All B Corps sign the Declaration of Interdependence as part of their certification, making a commitment to embody the values of the B Corp community and work towards our collective vision of business as a force for good.
Our certification as a B Corp was a two-year process that involved evaluating every aspect of our organization. As a B Corp, we are required to undergo the verification process every three years in order to recertify, ensuring a focus on continuous improvement.
The process to achieve and maintain certification is rigorous and requires engaging teams and departments across the company. Taking company size and profile into account, verification involves documentation of our business model and information about operations, structure, and various work processes, as well as review of potential public complaints and possible site visits.
Our certification comes from B Lab™, a nonprofit that evaluates impact on natural resources, treatment of employees and vendors, and the company's behavior in the community. In order to achieve certification, we are required to:
- Demonstrate high social and environmental performance by achieving a B Impact Assessment score of 80 or above and passing a risk review.
- Make a legal commitment by changing our corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and achieve benefit corporation status if available in our jurisdiction.
- Exhibit transparency by allowing information about our performance measured against B Lab’s standards to be publicly available on our B Corp profile on B Lab’s website.
Used by more than 150,000 businesses, the B Impact Assessment platform allows companies to identify, track, and learn about improvement opportunities and best practices over time. You can learn more about B Lab and the B Impact Assessment at bcorporation.net.
As a Certified B Corporation, we are all in this together:
- We empower our CUSTOMERS to achieve their financial dreams
- We reward our EMPLOYEES and encourage their growth and wellbeing
- We strengthen our COMMUNITIES with giving that makes an impact
- We provide transparency in GOVERNANCE that acknowledges all stakeholders
- We protect our ENVIRONMENT and work to create a more sustainable future