The document summarizes Brand Cool, a marketing agency that became a certified Benefit Corporation. It discusses how the company prioritized positive social and environmental impact from its early days. As the company grew, it ensured its business model embodied its values of not profiting at the expense of others. The company chooses purpose-driven clients, focuses on sustainability, and treats employees well through training and benefits. It is committed to bettering its community through charitable initiatives.

1. DECENCYDISRUPTSStand Up. Stand Out.

2. 2
Back in the early days of Brand Cool, we were just like any startup
agency – with a handful of clients, a stack of bills, a small staff and
a big dream to be successful. But even then, our dream was a
little different.
Of course we wanted to make money. But profit was never the
heart of our business. Making the world a better place was.
In the early days we did this by bringing careful attention to our working relationships with each other and
our clients. We approached every new business opportunity as an invitation to be of benefit in some small
way. Our agency always had a “mission” orientation.
As we grew, we explored business models, knowing there had to be a “for profit” model that embodied our
values, especially our recognition that as a business we can’t profit at the expense of others.
And then, we experienced “the global financial meltdown.” While we maintained our full staff and kept our
revenue steady, we also took some time to reflect. We realized that applying our talents in service of the
world’s most pressing problems needed to be more than a byproduct of our work – it had to be the focus of
our work. Compassion and insight had to be the “way” we worked and the “juice” behind what we delivered.
It was time to approach business a different way – our way.
From then on, we decided we were going to choose our clients with a discerning eye, seeking out partners
who stood for the same things we did. We were going to be mindful of the impact our business had on
the environment and local community. We were going to bring in good, genuine people and treat them like
family. We were going to be authentic in our relationships and transparent in our business practices.
We were going to be fully human.
And that was it. The initial goal was not to be a Benefit Corporation, though I had learned of them through
my research of business models and loved the concept – even intending to one day start one of my own.
But I would be lying if I told you I had even the slightest inkling that I had already started one with Brand Cool.
Fourteen years later, that’s what makes earning our status as a Benefit Corporation such a thrilling, humbling,
yet reaffirming experience. What makes me proudest of all is that the application process did not send us
into an operational frenzy, or force any type of overhaul of the way we normally do things. We did it by just
being ourselves.
Photo of Sue
IT’SFUNNYHOWSOME
OFTHEBESTTHINGS
HAPPENBYACCIDENT.

3. 3
Today, for our purpose-driven corporate clients, our work involves building brands and increasing
engagement, particularly around sustainability programs. Our work with public entities impacts underserved
populations, public health, conservation and energy efficiency, and economic growth in the clean tech
sector.
Looking ahead to 2014-15, we’re planning on making a number of signature investments in our capabilities
and services. First is our partnership with Renee Lertzman, PhD, who has joined our team as Director of
Insight. Renee is an internationally renowned thought leader in the psychosocial research and sustainability
field, and in her capacity at Brand Cool she will combine those disciplines, uncovering truly human insights
that will help us better support culture, systems and behavior change, specifically in the energy efficiency
and sustainability arenas.
Next, we are in the process of developing both assessment and engagement models for potential and
current clients. We’re constantly in “R&D” mode, evolving our approach, because sustainability and energy
efficiency are unique challenges demanding new solutions – ones that we believe will require a bigger dose
of “human.”
Our clients are asking for rapid change and new levels of participation and engagement. We’re responding
with innovative research, programs and campaigns designed to meet people where they are, recognize
their innate goodness and the complexities they navigate every day, and of course, their deeply human
desire to belong, to feel safe and to love.
In the community, we’ll continue to invest both individual and collective agency time to serving various
organizations through charity events and pro bono work, with a special focus on those that serve children
and the hungry.
Finally, we’ll continue to support our internal team through formal professional development opportunities as
well as Emotional Intelligence training, a unique program that focuses on a deeper understanding of the self
and our relationships with others.
From all of us here at Brand Cool, we extend sincere thanks. We are truly honored to be a Benefit Corporation
– and we promise to keep using our business to make the world a more sustainable place.
Because, as we like to say, decency disrupts.
Sincerely,
Sue Kochan
CEO, Brand Cool

4. 4
BRANDCOOL
BYTHENUMBERS
BCORPIMPACTREPORT
Summary
Governance
Workers
Community
Environment
Overall B Score
Company Score
11
31
51
8
101
Median Score
10
22
32
9
80
Certified since: August 2013

5. 5
Sustainability is not a whisper anymore.
It’s a shout from the rooftops. Right now, sustainable brands are
doing big things. Rallying big contingents of consumers. And for
brands, it’s not simply a matter of dropping down a recycling bin
and writing a press release. You have to walk the walk by living
and breathing goodness and generosity. When you do, you not
only effect positive change – you stand out from the competition.
Because decency disrupts.
#changeisloud
5
# is#changeisloud

6. 6
PARTNERING
WITHPURPOSEInspiration: our pro bono campaign
for the Ad Council of Rochester, in
association with the Finger Lakes Donor
Recovery Network and Donate Life
NY, is poised to raise awareness and
participation for organ donation
across New York State.
Motivation: our Irreconcilable
Temperatures web video series for
the New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority motivated
hundreds of homeowners to rethink
their energy usage
Activation: our waste
reduction toolkit is being
used to help Sodexo
achieve a company-wide
goal of 100% manager
participation in their waste
reduction initiatives
92% of 2013 revenue
generated from clients with
purpose-driven missions
100% of clients have
formal sustainability
programs

7. 7
Difference-making work starts with conscientious clients.
That’s why we choose to partner with brands who share our
vision to make the world a more sustainable place – socially,
economically, and environmentally.
#seebiggerpictures
7

8. 8
COMMITTING
TOOURCOMMUNITY
Our match campaign with The
Children’s Agenda raised over $2,000 –
with an additional $2,000 match – for
the health, education and success of
Rochester’s youth
CEO Sue Kochan contributed over
500 hours teaching mindfulness
and meditation in community groups,
business and academic settings
throughout upstate New York
Organizations served include The
Children’s Agenda, Feeding America,
Foodlink, United Way, Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society, Boy Scouts of
America, Volunteers of America, and
several local community organizations
Our Feeding America Facebook
campaign helped feed over
1000 families this past
Thanksgiving
Brand Cool employees
logged a total of over
1195 community
service hours in 2013

9. 9
Brand Cool takes pride in serving the local community,
organizing and participating in a wide variety of charity initiatives
both as an agency and through individual efforts on an ongoing
basis. Employees are strongly encouraged to support the
causes they care about. In fact, time for personal community
service is built into their schedules each year.
In addition, we support local business by donating at least one
major pro bono campaign each year and providing ongoing
support to our local food bank with a gift in honor of every new
client we acquire.
9
#servethefuture

10. 10
TREATINGOUR
PEOPLELIKEPEOPLE
Emotional Intelligence at Work™
is a professional development workshop where current and up-and-
coming business leaders learn more about who they are, how they are perceived, where they are
most well-versed, and where they have development opportunities related to Emotional Intelligence,
and connecting and expanding critical relationships as a leader. These tools and insights serve as
the basis to determine individual effectiveness, success, and ultimate happiness. Unlike many other
seminars, these tools are expected to be used daily, are immediately
applied directly to your life, and stay with you forever.
DiSC®
is the leading personal assessment
tool used by more than 40 million people to
improve work productivity, teamwork and
communication. DiSC is a personal assessment
tool used to improve work productivity,
teamwork and communication. DiSC is non-
judgmental and helps people discuss their
behavioral differences.

11. 11
#brandcoolbeings
Our Employees are our family.
That’s why we take great strides to treat them fairly, as unique
individuals, and as human beings with lives outside of work.
It starts with a compensation and benefits package that
ranks highly even among Benefit Corporations, and continues
with unique opportunities for personal and professional
development including DiSC assessment and training,
Presenter Transformation training, ongoing mindfulness and
meditation instruction, and Emotional Intelligence at Work™
training. It’s all designed around employee wholeness. After all,
being a healthy, thoughtful, compassionate and well-rounded
person is what being a “Cool” (as our employees are so
affectionately called) is all about.

12. 585.381.3350 | 2300 East Ave. | Rochester, NY 14610 | brandcool.com
Brand Cool is a marketing and engagement agency and proud Benefit Corporation
committed to making the world a more sustainable place.
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