Better World Books
Better World Books, based in Alpharetta, Georgia with locations in Indiana and Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 2003, Better World Books is a B Corporation that balances the social, economic, and environmental values of its stakeholders. The company collects and sells used books online, with each sale generating funds for literacy initiatives in the U.S. and around the world.
Better World Books diverts books from landfills by conducting book drives on college campuses and collecting discards from libraries nationwide. Since its founding, the company has raised over $10 million for its non-profit literacy and library partners; donated over 5 million books to groups such as Books for Africa and Feed the Children; diverted more than 80 million pounds of books from landfills; and achieved over 25,000 tons of carbon offsets through carbon balanced shipping.
The firm’s 349 full time employees enjoy strong benefits, including health insurance and a 401(k), an Employee Assistance Program, and education reimbursement. Many employees are promoted from within, and there are annual employee award and recognition programs such as the Most Valuable Employee (“Bookerfly”). All full time employees receive incentive stock options after one year along with an annual bonus and profit sharing program. Employees are granted 16 hours of paid time off for volunteering – together, employees have planted trees and cleaned up parks and roads in their communities – and the Employee Engagement Group meets weekly to plan these activities as well as picnics, lunches, and family events. Employees also participate in re-use, recycling, and ride-sharing.
