In August 2020, HAYVN applied for B Corp certification, and now, exactly one year later, we’re thrilled to tell you we have recently become the first fully certified coworking B Corp in Connecticut and beyond. Our shared office space met all requirements for certification, including strict standards in four key areas.
This was a team effort with help from HAYVN members: Kerrie McDevitt of Impact Growth Partners, Thinking Beyond Business, and Christine Sullivan from Connecticut Small Business Development Center.
When we initially shared our B Corp intention with our Fairfield County community, HAYVN members Silvana Skverer and Soledad Matteozzi of Thinking Beyond Business noted that the process would include: “…rigorous certification administered by a non-profit organization called B-Lab,” which would verify that HAYVN met established criteria focusing on:
- Environment
- Community
- Governance
- Employees
Today, HAYVN is happy to celebrate our status as a fully certified B Corporation, and we invite you to look toward the future with us as we continue the work of creating a better tomorrow for our stakeholders.
Since HAYVN’s beginning, we have been a mission-driven business. We created our flexible office space as a place for entrepreneurs — particularly women — to work, meet, grow, and support other members of their community.
HAYVN’s goal of nurturing each other through a coworking model fit right in with the B Corp definition:
A type of business structure that meets the highest standards of environmental and social performance, legal accountability, and public transparency.
What Does it Mean to Be the First Coworking B Corp in Connecticut?
There are few B Corporations in Connecticut, roughly ten in various market segments. As the first fully certified coworking B Corp in CT, HAYVN is a leader in its space. As it should be. B Corp certification implies that a company is leading the way to a better future for stakeholders and acting as an inspiration for other businesses, even in different industries.
HAYVN founder Felicia Rubinstein always held that helping people grow their businesses and lives would be her core mission.
“We design our services around well-documented women’s business needs,” says Felicia. “At the end of the day…we hope to continue to be a driving force for everyone in the HAYVN community so they can achieve great success.”
How Does B Corp Certification Fit with HAYVN’s Sustainability Mission?
HAYVN’s founding and managing teams are passionate about maintaining a coworking environment that supports the health of its members and community. Through thoughtful amenities, advanced technology, and responsible operation, we found a way to stand out from the crowd.
Our Darien shared office space embraces and implements:
- Eco-friendly design
- Natural lighting
- Solar power
- A zero-waste policy
- HEPA air filtration
We’re proud to be part of the B Corp community in Connecticut, and around the world, to help and inspire others to be environmentally responsible. HAYVN, like other B Corporations, also strives to improve its economic impact.
Learn more about B Corp certification by watching HAYVN’s HalfTime webinar: BCorp Movement: Community, Commitment & Certification with Kerrie McDevitt of Impact Growth Partners
What States Have B Corporations?
Currently, nearly 40 states, including the District of Columbia, have passed legislation acknowledging B Corps.
In Dallas, Texas, Chief Eternal Optimist Amy King of Good Coworking is pursuing B Corp certification. Like HAYVN, her company holds the goal of creating a business that continually focuses on environmental responsibility and improving social impact.
Amy combines her passions of community building and meaningful workplace design to support other business owners and fuel positive change. Good Coworking is a leader in the shared office space model, and like Felicia, Amy hopes her pursuit of B Corp certification will encourage the trend of B Corporation status in other businesses.
To learn more about B Corp Certification, and to see how your company can meet performance requirements for B Corporations, visit bimpactassessment.net.
HAYVN Coworking
Founded in 2018, HAYVN is a flexible workspace for enterprising women (and men) to connect, create and grow. Along with a vibrant & engaged coworking community of entrepreneurs and business professionals, HAYVN is a business HUB, offering short- and long-term office space leases, meeting rooms rentals, and events to support local businesses. HAYVN is proud to be a Certified B Corporation™ and a CTNext partner. We believe in using the power of business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy and have met the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. HAYVN’s workshops and signature programs encourage women of all colors and ages and acts as an incubator for developing skills and pursuing funding. HAYVN Launch incubator is a 2021 winner of the SBA's Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC), and the only 2021 winner in Connecticut.
Visit our beautiful safe ‘HAYVN’ in Fairfield County, CT at 320 Boston Post Road, Darien, CT, 06820. Arrange a private tour today, or to learn more about our health and safety response, read through our detailed guidelines here.