Portland, Ore., September 8th, 2016 — For the fourth year in a row, Ecotrust Forest Management (EFM) has been listed as a ‘B Corp Best for the World’ by B the Change Media based on a rigorous comprehensive assessment of a company’s impact on its workers, community, and the environment administered by the independent nonprofit B Lab.

This year, EFM scored in the top 10% of certified B Corporations in three categories and joins a select group of 138 companies world-wide that have achieved this level of recognition for their business practices of being “best for the world” – best for overall positive impact, best for the rural communities in which it works, and best for the forested landscapes that it is restoring to health, resilience, and provision of critical ecosystem services.

EFM manages more than 27,000 acres of Northwest forestland on behalf of investors and forestland owners to enhance forest health and productivity, and to produce a diverse array of forest products and services including timber, biomass, carbon, and improved habitat and water quality.

The full B Impact Assessment evaluates a company’s environmental performance through its facilities, materials, emissions, resource and energy use, and more. It assesses employee relationships in forms such as compensation, benefits, training and ownership opportunities. Community scores are given by looking at supplier relations, diversity, involvement in the local community, and other product or service-related impact points. Honorees scoring in the top 10 percent of all categories set a gold standard for the high impact that business as a force for good can make in many disciplines around the world.

“We are honored to be recognized by B Lab for four years running as one of the ‘Best for the World’, and for the capacity we – and all businesses have – to enhance our workplaces, the communities in which we work, and the landscapes that sustain us. EFM is the only company in the forestry sector to have achieved this recognition, and we hope to continue to set a high bar for our industry while inviting other companies in our sector and beyond to be a force for good.” says Bettina von Hagen, CEO of Ecotrust Forest Management.

“The companies we are honoring as the best for the world represent the cutting edge of a global movement using business as a force for good. We are inspired by them, and feel deeply honored to join them in this historic and ground-breaking celebration,” said Bryan Welch, CEO of B the Change Media. Honorees are featured in the upcoming fall issue of B Magazine and on B the Change’s digital platform, bthechange.com. They were also honored at the first-annual Best for the World Celebration and Awards Ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas Business School.

The full list of Best for the World honorees can be found at bestfortheworld.bcorporation.net.

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About Ecotrust Forest Management
Ecotrust Forest Management (EFM) is a private forestland investment management company that strategically acquires and manages ecologically significant forestland in the western United States on behalf of investors and forestland owners. We implement a style of forestry that is commercially viable, while at the same time beneficial to the health and resilience of ecosystems and rural communities. We were founded in 2004 by non-profit Ecotrust that continues to be our majority owner. EFM currently manage over 27,000 acres of forestland on behalf of our investors. More at www.ecotrustforests.com.

About B Lab
B Lab is a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Its vision is that one day all companies compete not only to be the best in the world, but the best for the world and society will enjoy prosperity for all for the long term. B Lab drives this systemic change by: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and good marketing; 2) passing benefit corporation legislation to give business leaders the freedom to create value for society as well as shareholders; 3) helping businesses measure, compare and improve their social and environmental performance with the free B Impact Assessment; 4) driving capital to impact investments through use of its B Analytics and GIIRS Ratings platform. For more information, visit www.bcorporation.net.