Vital Plan Leverages B Corp Certification to Revolutionize Support for Chronic Illness

In the following press release on May 11, 2016, Vital Plan, a physician-founded wellness startup, announced that they are one of eight herbal supplement companies worldwide to become a Certified B Corporation®. This highly regarded designation is awarded to companies who use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems, as well as meet higher standards of performance, transparency, and accountability.

Dr. Bill Rawls spent over a decade researching and developing the natural health solution that led to his own recovery from chronic Lyme disease. He incorporated this approach into his patient care and soon realized the opportunity to have a greater impact beyond his medical practice. Dr. Rawls teamed up with his daughter, Braden Rawls, to launch Vital Plan, an online wellness company on a mission to support individuals with fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and chronic immune dysfunction.

Through a comprehensive wellness system including high-quality natural supplements and expert advice offered through a cost-effective web-based platform, Vital Plan makes holistic health guidance available to those who cannot afford cash pay wellness consultations not covered by insurance.

“Through a six-month online course, I can teach someone how to be proactive about their health better than I could in a 20-minute office visit,” says Dr. Rawls. “Time is money in the conventional system, which is why the time-intensive holistic approach is not readily available. We are solving this problem by leveraging technology to offer trusted wellness support in a cost-efficient way. I see the healing power of natural solutions as a key part of the holistic approach.”

Dr. Rawls and the Vital Plan team are committed to bringing transparency to a $100 billion industry wrought with deceptive labeling, false claims, and low-quality ingredients. B Corp provides third-party certification of this commitment in every facet of Vital Plan’s business, from supply chain processes to employee and customer engagement.

Says CEO Braden Rawls, “Being able to showcase our commitment to doing business with integrity has been valuable in gaining new customers and recruiting talent. From the start, our goal has been to empower everyone that our organization touches to become more proactive about their health and mindful of the way they live. B Corp gives us a framework to support this mission and put best practices in place to grow our company in a smart, sustainable way.”

Certification was a rigorous and comprehensive process. Honoring their commitment to the community, Vital Plan was one of the first companies to graduate from the B Corp Clinic, a six-month program launched by HQ Raleigh and the NC State Business Sustainability Collaborative.

In the past year, Vital Plan quadrupled revenue and grew from three to 11 employees. They also attracted attention from North Carolina investors looking to support mission-driven startups, including Seventh Generation CEO, John Replogle.

“As the CEO of a B Corporation, I am thrilled to welcome Vital Plan into the B Corp family,” says Replogle. “In my opinion, entrepreneurs are best positioned to create innovative solutions for current healthcare challenges. Vital Plan has built an attractive economic engine that positions them to drive change and lead the way forward.”

Vital Plan will continue to accelerate growth in 2016, leveraging the global B Corporation network to increase accessibility of credible holistic health support in North Carolina and beyond.

About Vital Plan:

Vital Plan is a North Carolina-based, e-commerce wellness company that helps people overcome chronic health challenges through the use of physician-formulated natural supplements, guided online wellness courses, and personalized coaching and support.
The company was launched in 2012 by Braden Rawls and her father, Dr. Bill Rawls, a board-certified physician who suffered from Lyme disease and fibromyalgia for many years. After a decade of research and personal experience, he discovered natural solutions to regain his health and his life and knew he could help others overcome health challenges in the same way.

About B Corporations:

Certified B Corporations are leaders of a global movement of people using business as a force for good. They meet the highest standards of overall social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability and aspire to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. There are more than 1,700 Certified B Corporations in over 130 industries and 50 countries with 1 unifying goal – to redefine success in business. For more information, visit www.bcorporation.net.

The original press release can be found here.