Approximately two years ago the New York City Department of Health and Human Welfare started placing ratings in the street side windows of restaurants and fast food shops. The Seal of Approval is a big bold “A”. But when a something does not pass muster, the ratings fall to “B” and, in the worst case, “C”. When I walk up to a B or C I typically move on. It's a pretty powerful process.

Similarly, there is now a rating bestowed on employers by a nonprofit organization called B Lab, which has been certifying for-profit companies with a “B Corp” logo, and it carries weight. Company applicants are evaluated on their treatment of employees, their impact on the community and the environment. Thus far, 859 companies proudly tout their rating and include the B Corp logo on their corporate collateral and website.

Recent studies have shown that millennials—people between 25 and 32, place especially high value on the chance to make a social impact through work, and the B Corp has become the gold standard. Now I wonder, if a Company flunks the test, must it show the “F Corp” rating, highlighting its grinding work hours for low pay, and to hell with the community and the quality of our water?