In early 2021, amid the Covid pandemic lockdowns, whilst the planet was drowning in single-use PPE and disposable cups, and the global inequality divides were getting greater, we decided we wanted to become a B Corp. Then, more than ever, we appreciated that whilst our work was purposeful and ‘good’, we needed to conduct business within a governed framework. We knew we wanted to enrich the lives of humans through technology and design; we just wanted to ensure that we were doing it.
So what is a B Corp? A certified B Corporation is a for-profit business that has met the high social and environmental performance standards, accountability, and transparency*. B Lab sets these standards, a not-for-profit network transforming the global economy to benefit everyone, communities, and the planet^.
So we started…………then we paused……….the assessment process to become a B Corp is intense and arduous; it takes commitment, and we needed a hand; we needed help. So we asked the crew at Really Good to step in and help us through the process.
This brings us to today; we are now well and truly on our journey, with two intense workshop sessions with Kirsty Dare and Beth Wallach from Really Good Consulting under our belt. What is becoming glaringly obvious is that we work within the guidelines of B Corp, and we will get our certification. Still, we need to work on our internal processes and define where we want to make a difference with our work and with whom. It is one thing to know you are doing what is required to look after your people and planet; it is quite another to prove it, document it, and commit to long-term growth.
The certification process requires you to complete a BIA – Business Impact Assessment, an online tool comprising a series of questions about your business and practices across five categories – Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customer Base. The questions can be long and involve you uploading written policies and codes. If, like us, you need to write some of these documents before you can upload them.
You must score a minimum of 80 to certify, then commit to improving your impact score before recertifying in 3 years.
*bcorporation.com.au/what-bcorp/
^bcorporation.net/en-us/movement/about-b-lab
