Philadelphia is chilly!

Yes, it's chilly in Philadelphia - the city of brotherly love. Freezing wind blowing into your face and making it numb. The train ride from DC to Philadelphia gave us a chance to look at the rail transport of the US, which is not widely used by the public here. The 3-hour ride allowed us to discuss various topics such as religion, cinema and politics. A question was posed by Serge, our program officer, to us - how do we, belonging to a new modern generation, see the religion and the various traditions and rituals associated with it. A nice conversation ensued.

 

Coming from DC, I found the city, Philadelphia, with its high-rise buildings, craving for open spaces. It was probably because where we're placed in the downtown, the roads were narrow with the high-rise buildings standing as guards on both the sides. After knowing the history of the city and the many distinctions it bags, we felt proud to be in this city. Founded by William Penn, a Quaker, the city served as a meeting ground for the founding fathers of the US, who signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It was the first city in the world where religious liberty was established and practiced. Benjamin Franklin is said to have migrated to this place as a young man, attracted by the freedom it promises in every walk of life, be it arts, culture or intellectual conversations. 

View from B-Lab office

Organised by IVC of Philadelphia, an NGO, our one-day program at Philadelphia was quite packed. The day started with meeting B-Lab. The topic of discussion was benefit corporations, a new form of business corporation legislation that has as one of its corporate purposes creating positive benefits for society and the environment. Such legislation has now been passed in thirteen states and Washington, DC. The basic premise is that Government and non-profits are necessary, but insufficient. Hence, B-Lab is dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. They do it by helping the business become a B-certified company; the certification is provided by the B-Lab after analyzing the social and environmental impact the company is producing. In the process, if required, they ask the business to change the way they run in the sense that there is more transparency and accountability, there is more focus on the welfare of the employees. At the end, GIIRS rating is given to these businesses which help them in raising funds from big foundations such as the Rockefeller, Skoll and JP Morgan. It was interesting to know the birth of the B-Lab. The founder, who sold his athletic accessories company worth million dollars and which was very much dedicated to the welfare of their employees, was concerned about the social impact the company will continue to create with the next rung of leadership. The thought that the traditional business should be the way to bring social and environmental change led to the birth of the B-Lab. They are planning to enter into India, where I guess they will be faced by diverse set of challenges. Also, there is something called Sec 25 company in India, which I suggested them to explore and understand before they land on India. Watch this TED talk for more details.

The view from the office at One Logan Square was amazing. The Philadelphia Museum of Art was visible where Rocky made the famous run up the front steps, which is now called as Rocky Steps. We're now moving for lunch.