What you should know about B Corps
Updated: Oct 30, 2020
If you’re operating in the green or sustainable business sector, you’ve most likely come across the term ‘Certified B Corporations.’ So; what are they? How do you become a Certified B Corporation? What’s the benefit to your company? Read on and we’ll shed some light on the subject...
What is B Certification?
Certified B Corps are a new kind of business that balance purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. This community is driving a global movement of people using businesses as a force for good.
Profits from B Corps are used in a number of non-traditional ways; positively impacting employees of that organisation, their local communities and the environment.
Why become B certified?
If your company becomes B-Certified, you have shown that it is meeting the highest possible standards of performance across the whole environmental and social spectrum. B Certification addresses a company’s entire supply chain, looking into sustainability and raw materials, and will drill down into your company’s employee benefits and charitable givings.
It may seem daunting for a small startup to achieve B Certification when the process appears so involved. By setting your sights on this goal from the outset, and by being involved in the requirements, you will be able to make sure your company grows with this endpoint in mind. Small changes early on in your company’s growth will make a big difference further down the line and will be worth the investment.
What do I need to do?
To become B Certified, you undertake an online impact assessment on behalf of your organisation. For the short assessment/’quick snapshot’ report, this can be carried out in 30 minutes or so, with the full impact report taking 2-3 hours to complete. Get started here.
The resulting assessment report will show you where your company is already excelling, and which areas require additional focus. You are then able to use the resources and best practice guides provided to create customised improvement plans for your organisation.
How much does it cost?
Providing your company meets the necessary requirements, and therefore meets B Certification standards, there is an annual fee payable to the organisation. The amount is dependent upon revenue, but for companies with a turnover of <$150,000 is $1000 per year, and for those generating under $699,000 pa, your fees increase to $1,100.
Is it worth it?
This is a difficult question! With some of the big names now signing up to meet B Certification status, there’s definitely a trend towards sustainability. As a B-Certified company, it’s likely that potential consumers would see you as taking your sustainability efforts seriously. In terms of credibility and trust, or indeed competitive advantage, we see that can only be a good thing.
You can find more advice for your green business here.
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