A Marketing Intern's Perspectives on the B Corp Champions Retreat

By:  Samuel Akin, Event Planning and Marketing Intern - Evolution Marketing 

When you think of big corporate business, what do you think of? Profit margins, sales, executive dinners. If your answer was in that ballpark of similar ideas, you'd be right. The unfortunate thing is that it blinds the public eye from what really matters to other corporations and brands that may be smaller or have completely different business directions. Over the past month, I attended my first Certified B Corporation (B Corp) U.S. & Canada Champions Retreat. At first, I was puzzled about what type of event it was, since I was used to the typical business events, but once I attended, I was introduced to a completely different circle in the business world. 

Doing some research, I learned that it is a conference that takes place every 2 years and brings together B Corp businesses, nonprofit leaders, and professionals committed to using business as a force for good, and that it attracts people from all around the world, from the EU to South Korea. Hosted by B Lab U.S & Canada, the event focuses on sustainability, ethical business practices, and community impact.

In 2026, the retreat was held in Milwaukee at the Baird Center, with the opening reception at the Milwaukee domes, offering first-time attendees an important opportunity to experience a large-scale, purpose-driven business conference. It was also cool to see that the majority of attendees at the Wisconsin B Corp Event were first-timers, making me feel less like a stranger.

I also learned that the B Corp Champions Retreat is more than just a traditional business conference. It's about community and connections. How do we, as people, support the world through sustainability, as well as our fellow business colleagues. The retreat also combines elements of professional development and networking.

This year, the event was themed around Ripple to Waves, “which captures the idea that individuals and collective action—no matter how small—can generate powerful, lasting impact.

More about the Champion Retreat in Milwaukee: it spans multiple days across different areas in the Milwaukee area and includes keynote speakers. This year’s event included Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Wawa Gatheru, founder of Black Girls Environmentalist, among others. The event also included breakout sessions, workshops, and networking events. Attendees range from corporate leaders and marketers to students and nonprofit representatives, all connected by a shared interest in responsible business practices.

Being an upcoming marketing student, attending this event was a big opportunity for me. Not only was I exposed to another real-world business event, but it was one I had never seen before in terms of what a Certified B Corporation is. Diving into the marketing side of things,  the retreat closely aligns with modern marketing practices. How the event was promoted, handled, how information was given, etc. Today, consumers expect brands to be transparent, socially responsible, and authentic. Events like this show how companies build trust and loyalty through purpose-driven strategies.

One important detail I learned about B Corp organizations is the human rights aspect.. The session was specifically titled "Human Rights Impact Topic." The session was presented by Lauren Hill, Co-founder and Sr. Consultant, Population; Catherine Tedrow, Co-founder and Senior Consultant, Population; Danielle Arzaga, Senior Consultant, Population; Laura Ann Sweitzer, Director of Sustainability and Strategic Sourcing, TCHO; and Patrick Miller, Founding Attorney, Impact Advocates APC. 

The section I found most intriguing was especially through the framework of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). Learning how these principles clarified that companies are not just expected to avoid harm, but to actively identify, assess, and address human rights risks within their operations and across their entire value chain. Maybe it's because I have to write an AI policy in the future, but learning more about legal rights and what a business must follow seems captivating to me. 

I gained a better understanding of the business's responsibility to respect human rights and its foundation in the UNGPs; the core components of human rights due diligence; how to identify and prioritize salient human rights issues within operations and value chains; effective approaches to preventing, mitigating, and remediating negative impacts; the role of suppliers and value chain partners in achieving human rights objectives; and the distinction between managing negative impacts and creating positive social impact.

Another aspect of the event I participated in was the Sustainable Living and Eco Home tour, presented by Lisa Geason-Bauer, President of B Corp Evolution Marketing and B Local Wisconsin.  During the presentation, the guests at the house, including me, were shown how a house can be transformed into a highly sustainable home. The home highlights the use of solar panels to generate clean energy, along with efficient systems that reduce overall energy consumption. 

It also emphasizes the importance of preserving and incorporating the surrounding environment, including trees and other plant life, to support the local environment, demonstrating how thoughtful design can significantly reduce a home’s environmental impact. To learn more about the Eco-Home Features, visit  https://www.greenmkting.com/ecohome.

If you had to ask me what makes this whole B Corp business event stand out from a traditional business event,  it would be the event's environment and purpose. From my experience and perspective on the event, it was more built on purpose than profit. While growth remains very important for any brand, from big to small to micro, there is a strong emphasis on sustainability, ethical practices, and social impact. The event also expresses a greater care for your fellow business neighbor than for the dollar bill. This includes subjects such as the human rights section I mentioned earlier. In addition to this, there were other key topics mentioned and discussed, such as long-term impact on the world and how your business could be affecting or be affected by it, environmental responsibilities, what makes a company financially responsible in terms of sustainability, the usage of artificial intelligence(AI) in a B certificate business, and so much more. 

The B Corp event is built around purpose as much as profit. While business growth is still important, there is a strong emphasis on community. These events focus on how businesses can balance financial success with responsibilities to people, communities, and the environment. Topics often include environmental responsibility, human rights, transparent supply chains, and long-term impact rather than short-term gains.

Another key difference is the tone and experience. I say this because traditional events can feel much more robotic, repetitive, formal, and transactional, with structured presentations and networking focused on business deals. B Corp events are much more than just that. More collaborative and mission-driven, encouraging open discussion, shared learning, and real-world examples of impact. Instead of just talking about success, they explore how success can be achieved responsibly.

Overall, the retreat demonstrates that businesses can successfully combine profitability with purpose. For students and professionals alike, attending this event provides both inspiration and practical knowledge that can be applied to future careers in marketing and business leadership.