DECENCYDISRUPTSStand Up. Stand Out.

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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’S FUNNY HOW SOME OF THE BEST THINGS HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.

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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

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BRAND COOL BY THE NUMBERS

B CORP IMPACT REPORT

Summary

Governance

Workers

Community

Environment

Overall B Score

Company Score

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31

51

8

101

Median Score

10

22

32

9

80

Certified since: August 2013

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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

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# is#changeisloud

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PARTNERING

WITH PURPOSE

Inspiration: 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

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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

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COMMITTING

TO OUR COMMUNITY

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

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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.

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#servethefuture

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TREATING OUR

PEOPLE LIKE PEOPLE

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.

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#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.

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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