Lateral Line Becomes a Founding B Corporation
Fishing Apparel Company Embraces Beneficial Corporation Movement

Easton, MD (February 1,2008) -B Lab announced recently that fishing apparel company Lateral Line, Inc. was certified as a Founding B Corporation, joining about two dozen other leading companies who are setting a new corporate standard for social and environmental performance. B Corporations are a new type of corporation that are purpose-driven and create benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders. To become certified, B Corporations must meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards, and amend their corporate governing documents to incorporate the interests of employees, community and the environment.

Brothers and passionate fishermen Brandon and Spencer White founded the Easton, MD-based company in 2004, to build a technical year-round fishing apparel system for striped bass anglers. “We run our company with the goal of achieving a triple bottom line,” said Brandon. “We believe that through this balance we can provide superior products to our customers, have fun, take care of our employees, save the fish through our ‘2% for the Fish’ program, and make money all at the same time.”

Lateral Line’s “2% for the Fish” initiative supports fisheries conservation, and the company gives 2% of its top-line sales to its non-profit foundation. With both people-power and funding, Lateral Line supports initiatives and studies for grass roots fishery conservation initiatives, programs and research.

“With their commitment to employees and charitable foundation, Brandon, Spencer and the Lateral Line team were already demonstrating leadership,” said Jay Coen Gilbert, co-founder of B Lab, a non profit which supports B Corporations. “Like most B Corporation founders, they want to influence the market beyond the success of their individual company.”

As a Founding B Corporation, Lateral Line, Inc joins 87 companies with a collective market presence of $650 million, all leaders within the green, local living economies, employee-ownership, fair trade, organic, and sustainable business movements and from the food, apparel, home, financial services, building, action sports, technology, business services, telecom, restaurant, marketing, and retail industries. Founding B Corporations are those that became certified before December 31, 2007. Founding B Corporations receive preferential marketing support and a significant discount on the licensing fee for their first two year certification term.

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B Lab, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization, supports B Corporations by:
* certifying B Corporations who achieve a minimum score on the B Ratings System;
* 2) disseminating a legal framework to institutionalize stakeholder interests within existing corporate law;
* 3) promoting B Corporations through a unifying brand; and
* 4) helping B Corporations access mission-aligned capital markets.

Founding B Corporations to date, with a collective market presence of $650 million include: A-1 Builders, Abacus Wealth Partners, Agora Management Corporation, Andy Smith Photography, Anthurium Solutions, BBMG, Benchmark Asset Management, BeOn Holdings, Better World Books, Better World Telecom, Blueprint Research & Design, Cathedral Financial, Comet Skateboards, Culinary Collective, Dansko, eConscious Market, Edgeweood Partners, Egg, EOS Energy Solutions, Evergreen Lodge, EVO Media, Fair Trade Sports, Give Something Back, Good Capital, Green and Save, Green Harvest Technologies, Greg Christian Catering, Guayaki, HotFrog, Icestone, Impact Makers, Indigenous Designs, InJoy Media, Kimberton Whole Foods, King Arthur Flour, La Rutan, Lateral Line, Learning & Vision Partners, Liebowitz Photography, Living Spirit, Mair Affair, Mal Warwick & Associates, Management Resources, Mantria, Method Home Products, Moka Joe Coffee, Monitor Institute, Mugshots Coffeehouse, National Foundry, Natural Investments, Nau, New Leaf Paper, Nolan Painting, Numi Organic Tea, On Belay Business Advisors, One Village Coffee, Opticos Design, Philantech, Practical Energy Solutions, Praxis Consulting, Pura Vida, Re:Vision Architecture, Sage Financial Group, Seventh Generation, Siw Thai Silk, Social(k), Strategy Arts, Studio EEC, Sungevity, TBL Capital, The Caprock Group, The Green Office, The Hub, Uncommon Goods, Untours, Village Books, Watershed Capital, White Dog Café, Workplace Dynamics, Worksavvy, World Leadership School and Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy LLP.

B Lab Contact Information
To contact B Lab founders Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan and Andrew Cassoy, please call or email Errin Cecil-Smith at 215.439.7776 or [email protected]. B Corporation imagery and more information are available at www.bcorporation.net.

Lateral Line, Inc.
Lateral Line is an angler driven company solely dedicated to creating the best technical year-round fishing clothing system to keep striped bass anglers protected and comfortable in all weather conditions. The company was founded in 2005 by Brandon and Spencer White and is headquartered in Easton, MD.
I fish. It’s who I am…tm

More information on Lateral Line, Inc.
About Lateral Line
About our "2% For the Fish" Fisheries Conservation Foundation
Lateral Line History
Lateral Line Company Team
Lateral Line Philosophy
How Brandon and Spencer Arrived at Lateral Line - Blog Entry
What is a" Lateral Line" in a Fish