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At Mangrove, our approach to giving is deeply personal and rooted in our values. Inspired by the 1% for the Planet model, we commit 1% of our annual revenue — supporting diversity, social justice, women in tech, and environmental stewardship. We also invest in other ways as a small business to create social and environmental impact. We take a look at the various ways we choose to give back and why they matter to us. 

A lot changed for our team in 2023 and 2024 — from officially merging with Manoverboard, a fellow B Corp creative agency, to navigating an economic downturn and evolving and adapting our team. Along the way, we’ve embraced new collaborations and opportunities that have helped shape who we are now. We are a smaller team now, but we’re also nimble, grounded, and as aligned as ever with our purpose. As we reflect on the past two years in this latest report, we’re excited to share some of the highlights. 

Turning a profit is important, but at Mangrove our purpose goes beyond that. As a certified B Corp, we’re committed to balancing environmental and social responsibility with financial sustainability. One way we live that value is by taking responsibility for our carbon footprint, specifically how we go about offsetting it. That’s why we partner with Offset Alliance, values-aligned B Corp that offers a thoughtful, considered approach to measuring and offsetting emissions.  

Who inspires you to give? From organizations creating safe community spaces, to those championing conservation and protecting animals, our approach to giving back is about more than numbers. It’s about supporting the efforts our team cares about and turning their passions into impact. Here’s a look at some of the organizations we’re giving to in 2024.

This May, Mangrove celebrated 15 years in business. In the last decade and a half, we’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of changemaking organizations, from non-profits to large mission-driven corporations in the USA and Canada. These opportunities have allowed us to use our expertise of building websites and brands to tangibly support a wide range of our clients’ meaningful work. As we move into another new chapter, we revisit some of the pivotal moments of our past and offer a glimpse of where we’re headed next. Join us…

One scholarship program alone can’t erase the systemic barriers faced by aspiring designers who identify as Black, Indigenous or as a person of color, but through the Manitoba Studio Fund, we’re addressing the issue head-on. In collaboration with Design Professionals of Canada and six other Manitoba-based design studios, the fund was established four years ago and has since awarded $9,000 to eight student recipients. We take a deeper look at the goals and impact of the scholarship.

Giving Tuesday is on November 28. At Mangrove, we get excited about charitable organizations and ways to support them. Our work and connection with nonprofits means we know of some great change-making organizations that would benefit greatly from your support. Here’s our list—in no particular order.

In 2022 we reconfirmed the “rightness” of the path we set ourselves on— to operate our organization according to shared principles and a greater purpose beyond just profit.

It was a year that saw us evolve and improve, albeit in different ways than we originally planned. We assessed and prepared for a new business partnership, fine-tuned our co-leadership approach, and enhanced our power distribution to create more balance.

After sharing how we team sourced our company values in a B Corp webinar, we realized that sharing this information might be beneficial to our peers interested in doing the same. Engaging your team in identifying company values isn’t necessarily “easy” work, but it is a straightforward and extremely beneficial exercise.

Earth Day provided us with a humbling lesson this year that is worth sharing with our community. Without much forethought, we planned a photo slideshow to celebrate the “beautiful places that inspire our team to stay committed to sustainability.” And then we realized a glaring blind spot.

Mangrove trees are pretty amazing. In honor of Earth Month, we’re sharing an interview with Alfredo Quarto, Co-founder and International Program and Policy Director of Mangrove Action Project (MAP), an organization that we are proud to support. MAP’s work aims to boost awareness of the importance of mangroves with hands-on curriculum and community involvement.

As a purpose-driven company and B Corp, it’s important that we do everything we can to understand how we as individuals and as a company perpetuate systemic injustice.