Photo by Min An
On 30th August, the Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB) became a different type of entity.
Co-founders Jill Poet and Mike Wilson have gifted ORB to its members in order to protect the company and maintain its purpose.
To achieve this, ORB merged with a new company limited by guarantee: National Organisation for Responsible Micro, Small and Medium-sized Businesses. Quite a mouthful, but the trading name will continue to be the Organisation for Responsible Businesses, shortened to ORB as appropriate.
So, from an external perspective, nothing will have changed. The vision and mission, the logo, the websites, the membership processes, all the courses, the Responsible Business Standard Certification, etc., will all remain the same, subject to ‘normal’ future developments.
However, the underlying change is significant.
· All members of ORB are now members of the new company and are the legal owners;
· The new company has a bespoke set of articles that feature the purpose and processes that must be maintained to deliver that purpose;
· The new Articles of Association can only be changed by special resolution and 75% of voting members would have to approve any such resolution;
· A new Board of Directors will soon be in place;
· Members can form a Member Council and vote three of their members on to the Board of Directors.
We welcome ASP members who are not already members of ORB to apply for membership and help drive the movement for a better way of doing business – with a continued focus on micro and small businesses.
