It’s B Corp Month and time for us to recertify which seems like the perfect time to reflect on what being a B Corp has meant to us. We have had lots of people not know what a B Corp is and others who have asked if it is worth the hard work to become certified.
Image Credit: Photo by Lukas / Pexels
\nAuthor: Tara Milburn
\nWhen we were first certified as a B Corp, I wrote this fun article about what B Corps and Chocolate Chip Muffins have in common.
\nIt’s B Corp Month and time for us to recertify which seems like the perfect time to reflect on what being a B Corp has meant to us. We have had lots of people not know what a B Corp is and others who have asked if it is worth the hard work to become certified. And let me tell you….. becoming certified IS hard work. Our colleagues at Cultivating Capital do a great job of describing what B Corp Certification is here if you want to find out more.
\nWhat B Corp certification is NOT:
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- It is not a silver bullet to success - while awareness is growing around the B Corp movement, the vast majority of our clients don’t really understand what it means to be certified. \n
- It is not a certification that you can “buy” without doing the hard work of proving you embody the core pillars (see these here). \n
- It is not for everyone - I am not exaggerating when I say it takes a significant amount of time to ensure you can account for all that the audit requires. So on top of running a business, there is a significant amount of data collection and reporting required. \n
Why is it important to us?
\nFor Ethical Swag, it is not what you say, but what you do that matters. With so much fake news and bogus reviews, it can be hard to know who to believe. We want our clients to know that we take what we do seriously and while we are not perfect, we continually strive to support our clients to make decisions that are for the greater good.
\nSo every three years, B Corps must go through a recertification process to ensure they are still meeting the rigorous standards set by the certification. This process is important because it helps to maintain the integrity of the B Corp movement and ensures that B Corps are continuing to prioritize social and environmental impact with profit.
\nWe are proud to be part of a movement that defines success with a multi stakeholder model. We believe that being successful means profitability WITH consideration of social and environmental impacts.
\nOur growth since certification shows that our clients think what we are doing is important. We look forward to what the future holds and in the meantime, thank you for being a part of our journey.
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