
August 1, 2024 · 0 Comments
By Sam Odrowski
A local business focused on providing services to people with disabilities recently received an internationally recognized accreditation.
Branching Out Support Services (BOSS), a grassroots social enterprise providing services for people across the age span with neurodiversities, recently announced its achievement of Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) Accreditation.
While BOSS isn’t a not-for-profit organization, receiving the accreditation means that it is a mission-driven company that aims to balance purpose and profit.
B Corp Certification also signifies that BOSS meets high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency, covering aspects such as environmental sustainability, ethical service practices, employee benefits, charitable giving, and supply chain practices.
To earn this certification, companies must:
“This accreditation is significant for BOSS as it ensures that our operations adhere to the highest ethical and environmental standards,” said BOSS in a press release on July 29.
“It provides guidance and deep processes to maintain equity among all stakeholders, including clients, volunteers, employees, and supporters.”
BOSS is among the first 12,000 companies globally and the second in Dufferin County to achieve this certification, making it the first human services business in the region to do so with excellent standing.
“Working for and receiving a Benefit Corporation (BCorp) certification is a dream come true for our company and for our community. With this rigorous accreditation process our organization, Branching Out Support Services has proven that our dedication to ethical working standards, service and environmental practices are the best,” said BOSS founder Kimberly Van Ryn.
“Every area of our business from financial systems to philosophical ideation was scrutinized and then modified to its highest potential outcome. This means clients, family members, professionals and the community can trust our practices, structures and systems. This is the most trauma-informed way to facilitate and participate in corporate business. It’s ethical and honest.”
She added, “We admit and identify mistakes and missteps and use them as learning opportunities to grow and deepen our commitments to our stakeholders. We are now a recognized social mission based business and through our services we aim always to do no harm and contribute wholeheartedly to the economy, community and individual lives of those we interact with. This is a safe community.”
Branching Out Support Services Inc. was founded in 2019 by a small but mighty group of support professionals working at the grassroots level. “Our determined mission was to provide community, creativity and choice to people with neuro diversities and disabilities in our region,” said BOSS’s press release.
Over the past 4.5 years Branching Out Support Services has dedicated time, energy and innovation to the community.
Often, the experience with BOSS is outside the box, a new and aligned way of serving people who have been so deeply marginalized and shut out throughout history.
“Our support professionals and practitioners are dedicated to listening to the needs of our community and filling gaps to provide holistic and innovative support to every member of the local and global community,” said BOSS’s press release.