Conscious consumerism and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have become paramount considerations for consumers when making purchasing decisions. As a result, businesses are increasingly seeking ways to demonstrate their commitment to environmental and social progress. One of the best ways for a business to do this is by achieving B Corp Certification. In this blog, we will shed light on the benefits of pursuing B Corp Certification and provide top tips for streamlining the B Corp journey.

What is a B Corp?

B Corp Certification is a designation that businesses meet high standards in performance, accountability, and transparency, spanning employee benefits, charitable giving, supply chain practices, and input materials. There are over 6,800 B Corps around the world across 161 industries in 89 countries.

Why should your company apply for B Corp?

B Corp certification offers a powerful way to build credibility and trust for your business. It showcases to customers that you meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

Recent research by B Lab reveals that UK B Corps, on average, outshine their peers, with:

• Faster growth in turnover and employee headcount and higher expectations about future growth

• Greater levels of employee retention, engagement and diversity

• More robust governance processes

• Greater focus on civic and community engagement

• Higher levels of innovation

• The same likelihood of success at securing external finance

The research reinstates the importance of starting your sustainability journey, embracing strategic planning and transparent communication, and the benefits that telling your sustainability story will have for your business.

Pursuing B Corp certification presents an opportunity for your business to streamline sustainability efforts across different impact categories. The B Impact Assessment defines five specific impact categories: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.

1. Governance: Ensuring long-term mission commitment through transparent and accountable structures.

2. Workers: Creating inclusive workplaces, fostering employee well-being, growth, and fair compensation.

3. Community: Supporting local communities, addressing needs, and promoting social justice.

4. Environment: Embracing sustainability, reducing ecological footprint, and driving innovation.

5. Customers: Attracting conscious consumers through ethical practices and social/environmental commitment.

Streamlining Your B Corp Journey

B Corp certification involves a rigorous assessment process that evaluates a company's social and environmental performance, transparency, and governance. By undertaking this assessment and becoming certified, companies demonstrate their commitment to meeting globally recognised high standards of sustainability and purpose.

Here are our top tips for starting your B Corp journey:

Gather Evidence and Maintain Records

During the assessment process, you will need to substantiate any claims that you’ve made that have helped you reach the 80 point threshold. For each question in the B Impact Assessment, clear evidence makes it easier for B Lab to assess your actions and minimises delays during the assessment process.

When you are gathering this information, make sure you store it all in one, organised place. For example, you can use an online platform or filing system that will allow you to log sustainability actions and note the supporting evidence and any other relevant information. As B Corp certification needs to be renewed every three years, having a system in place to maintain organised records streamlines the reapplication process.

Effectively Communicate Sustainability Goals and Ongoing Progress to Stakeholders

Transparency and communication are very important aspects of B Corp certification. An easy win for your B Impact Assessment journey is to start communicating with stakeholders now. This will keep all relevant parties informed and will hold your business accountable.

Make sure your communication is accessible, transparent, and ongoing. Ideally, you’ll update your stakeholders as often as possible. Tools like ENSO simplify the process of sharing and showcasing sustainability efforts, facilitating transparent and meaningful communication with stakeholders.

Make it a Team Effort - Involve Everyone in Your Organisation

B Corp certification requires your business to score at least 80 points on the assessment, which touches every aspect of your business. Make sure to leverage the knowledge, skills and passion of all of your team members. This will help you to give more robust answers on the B Impact Assessment and ensure that you are not missing any possible points.

Ensure that everyone feels they have a stake in the B Corp process and are part of your sustainability journey. Use internal reporting mechanisms to give regular updates on progress towards certifications. Host regular meetings to ask for feedback and take all ideas into consideration to foster a collaborative process.

Emphasise Openness and Transparency Throughout your B Corp Journey

With both internal and external stakeholders, make sure to be open and transparent about your actions and targets. This not only aligns with B Corp principles but also builds trust with stakeholders and reinforces your commitment to sustainability.

The B Corp Certification process allows you to really look deeply at your business and your sustainability initiatives. Being transparent and having open conversations with your team members will allow you to progress on your sustainability journey.

Conclusion

Embracing B Corp certification allows businesses to align with the growing demand for social and environmental responsibility. Additionally, as your business will be reassessed every three years, this will encourage you to continuously be improving and making progress on your sustainability journey.

By following these tips and leveraging tools to help you along the way, your business can efficiently navigate the B Corp journey. Integrating B Corp Principles will allow you to increase your resilience and sustainability while creating an inclusive working environment and growing your customer base.

At ENSO, we are passionate about guiding businesses like yours towards a more sustainable future. Whether you're taking your first steps on your sustainability journey or already pursuing B Corp certification, our experienced team is here to support and accelerate your progress. Don't hesitate to reach out to discover how we can assist you in making a meaningful and lasting impact on the planet, local communities and your business.

About The Author

This article has been written and shared with our Knowledge Exchange by ENSO. ENSO is the all-in-one solution for businesses to easily embrace sustainability, win new customers, inspire employees, assist in earning new certifications and make a positive impact on the planet and their community. Currently working with over 100 businesses, our approach helps you align your business practices with sustainable values, and provides you with the tools and insights needed to achieve measurable and meaningful impact and communicate your results.