ATLANTA, GA (November 8, 2011) – Socially conscious online bookseller Better World Books received a 2011 Green Jobs Award by the SJF Institute today at a ceremony in New York City. The Green Jobs Award program celebrates private U.S. companies with at least $500,000 in revenue and 10 employees that make valuable contributions to the economy and to the environment.

Better World Books was judged on its environmental contribution, quality of jobs and benefits, the diversity of employment opportunities, and level of community engagement. It was honored alongside fellow winners Pacific Biodiesel, Power Partners Inc., Sacred Power Corporation, SolarCity, Sungevity, and The Taylor Companies (see brief summaries of each below).

Better World Books, which employs 375 team members, collects and sells new and used books online, contributing a portion of each sale to help literacy initiatives worldwide. Through its Book for Book initiative, the company donates a book to someone in need for every book bought on BetterWorldBooks.com. Books that cannot be re-sold or donated are recycled. When it comes to waste reduction, the company has collected over 80 million discarded books, and raised over $10 million in funding for literacy and education initiatives worldwide through the sale of those books.

"With a business model that celebrates the environment, employs hundreds of people and gives back to the community, we’re proud to receive a 2011 Green Jobs Award," said Better World Books CEO Andy Perlmutter. “There’s no denying businesses can do well by doing good – we’re just thrilled more and more companies like ours are getting recognized for doing just that.”

Every book bought on BetterWorldBooks.com funds a global literacy through its non-profit literacy partners including the National Center for Family Literacy, Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, and Invisible Children. The company recently launched its Book for Book program, wherein it donates a book for every book purchased on its US and UK sites.

The SJF Institute launched the Green Jobs Award in 2010 to honor innovative, privately-held American companies that are preserving or enhancing environmental quality while leading green job creation. The Institute’s goal is to accelerate the growth of innovative green job creators and demonstrate the potential of the green economy for all communities. Together, this year’s winners employ more than 2,500 individuals and their and their aggregate revenue exceeds $150 million. Read more at www.greenjobsaward.org.

“These seven exemplary companies show you can have true sustainability while creating real, quality jobs at all levels,” said Bonny Moellenbrock, SJF Institute Executive Director. "By acknowledging the tremendous work these companies are doing, we hope to both support their efforts and inspire other businesses to follow their lead."

ABOUT BETTER WORLD BOOKS
Better World Books (www.BetterWorldBooks.com) is a for-profit social enterprise that collects and sells books online matching each purchase with a donation, book for book, and with each sale generating funds for literacy initiatives. With more than eight million new and used titles in stock, Better World Books is a self-sustaining company that balances the social, economic and environmental values of its stakeholders. Better World Books diverts books from landfills by conducting book drives on thousands of college campuses and libraries. Since its founding in 2003, the Atlanta, GA-based company has raised over $10 million for libraries and literacy, donated over 5 million books; re-used or recycled over 80 million books and achieved 25,000 tons of carbon offsets through carbon balanced shipping.