One of the things that we get asked a lot is why did you do all that work to get B-Corp certified.
To answer is an easy one, it comes down to values and purpose. When we asked ourselves “why are we in business?” The answer has never been about profits, it is about building a business that would create a positive impact on people and in the process, the environment. We all have a role to play in creating that, and that is what has been really motivating.
But let’s backtrack a bit. Let us first tell you what B-Corp is so you will then understand why it was so important for us to chase the certification, that we all live by each day now.
B-Corp is summed up as being about using business for good. If we take the everyday function of business, be it selling a service as we do with Sharesource (by giving smart people, no matter where they live, a chance to equalise their opportunities) or a product that says uses recycled materials, B-Corp provides the framework and guidance to work in to help measure the positive impact. For us, it was about making sure that the way we do business was good for people and also good for the environment in the process. With these steps in place, B-Corp-certified businesses will then make a positive impact ultimately on the planet. So why wouldn’t we want to get involved in that?
There is a really good video here that you can watch which explains how B-Corp was started, and how many businesses worldwide are involved now and that number is growing. This is the logo to look out for, so you too can make a buying decision based on what you know is going to be ultimately good for our planet.
For us, B-Corp certification is the way we do business. It is business accountability you could say, which is so much more than just the certification. What it stands for is embedded in every part of our business from how business growth decisions are made to all the little things we do daily, to measure the success of the impact we are making on our people, their families, communities and the environment in which we are all working.
B-Corp is also about how we offset the costs of doing business, things like the cost of power, and how we can offset the products we buy that are manufactured, for example, computers, desks, chairs and even the travel we do. When we started thinking about all of these things together it is amazing what small things we can change, that over time make a positive difference.