Headquarters: Northampton, Massachusetts, USA

Established: 2009

ESG/Sustainability Focus: Media organization focused solely on distribution of news, blogs, video, commentary and other content related to CSR, ESG and sustainability.


KEY PARTNERS

Global Reporting Initiative, Reuters Insider, International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), Corporate Register and numerous CSR, ESG and sustainability bloggers, among others.

OVERVIEW/MISSION

3BL Media's primary mission is to raise awareness for organizations' CSR and sustainability initiatives through news and content dissemination.

3BL Media describes itself, in brief, by writing:  "3BL Media is the leading distributor of CSR, Sustainability and Cause news and content to stakeholders and journalists. Using traditional, social and new media channels, we ensure your message reaches the largest audience of global stakeholders."

As the audience interested in these topics has grown, 3BL Media has recognized the need for organizations to distribute content beyond traditional press releases.  3BL's new media and social media options include Facebook, Twitter, and mobile web.

3BL says it's committed to a "Triple Bottom Line: people, planet and profit."

BACKGROUND

3BL Media was founded in 2009 and focuses its efforts on new media methods. A piece written by 3BL Media co-founder Greg Schneider in October 2009 discusses the benefits and challenges of communicating about authentic CSR efforts using new media, which Schneider says enable readers to engage with CSR issues.  Schneider states in his company bio that he, along with friends and colleagues, established 3BL Media "in recognition of the obvious evolution of communications technologies and the expanding global interest in CSR and sustainability."

STRATEGIES & METHODOLOGIES

3BL Media uses "a combination of traditional and social media tools" to disseminate news about CSR and sustainability to heterogeneous users, including bloggers, mainstream journalists, subscribers, news aggregators, and social networking sites.

3BL offers news and information in varied formats, including blogs, report announcements, videos, podcasts, newsletters and traditional press releases.  3BL uses a daily video digest of CSR headlines (produced in-house) and frequent updates on Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels to facilitate sharing of news items.  3BL Media also hosts all of its client content on the 3BL Media site, distributes a daily categorized news feed, and offers a multitude of rss feeds.

3BL's video programming encompasses daily "CSR Minute" programs, "CSRunscripted" insight and opinion videos (archived, though no longer active), and detailed pieces, such as interviews and profiles, on "CSR Report." 3BL produces its own "Energy Minute" and "Health Minute" programming and has also produced "CSR for Investors," a video series for Reuters Insider. The 3BL Media site also serves as a platform for several dozen CSR-related blogs.

Case studies describe specific ways 3BL has helped organizations get their messages to stakeholders.

RECENT NEWS

On March 13, 2012, 3BL announced that it acquired SocialEarth, which it calls "the leading web-based community for social innovation, social entrepreneurship and social enterprise content and thought leadership."

3BL Media announced two new alliances in early 2012: a partnership with Smartbrief will produce "SmartBrief on Sustainability" daily e-mail newsletters and a collaboration with PR Newswire will bring 3BL's distribution channels to PR Newswire clients.

In mid-July 2011, 3BL Media acquired Justmeans, which it called "an established CSR news distribution platform and online community of sustainable business practitioners." A press release about the transaction says that Justmeans has 250,000 registered users and presents annual Social Innovation Awards. The fourth annual awards, in 2011, recognized such companies as ITT, Herman Miller, Inc., and SAP.

On March 16, 2011, 3BL Media announced a parnership with the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), under which the organizations will work together to bring greater awareness to IBLF's media assets including the IBLF "Expert Insight" series of video interviews with business leaders (IBLF online press release).

In late 2010, 3BL Media, Justmeans, and the Global Reporting Initiative announced a partnership under which the three groups joined to offer "report announcement packages."

3BL Media opened an office in the U.K., in Liverpool, in late 2010.

LEADERSHIP

Greg Schneider, is CEO of 3BL Media; prior to co-founding 3BL, Schneider "was the COO of a CSR news distribution service focused on corporate responsibility." Other co-founders are Cindy Esposito, operations and media consulting; Doug Fulton, chief tech geek; Doug (Reggie) Sayers, "all things tech"; and John Howell, editorial director.

SPECIAL NOTES

Media Coverage – Awareness

Appears to be quite wide and robust. 3BL Media's partnership with Global Reporting Initiative won good coverage within the CSR media sector.

Differentiators

As the audience interested in these topics has grown, 3BL Media recognized the need for organizations to distribute content beyond traditional press releases.  To that end, 3BL Media provides their clients with a mechanism for distributing multiple content types including to mainstream and CSR/focused media, professionals and consumers.

Profile Prepared: February 23, 2011. Last updated: December 26, 2012.

CONTACT
3BL Media
16 Center St.
Suite 211
Northampton, MA 01060

Tel 866.508.0993
Fax 866.699.5118
Email info@3blmedia.com
Web http://3blmedia.com/