B Lab is a non-profit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet; B Lab UK leads economic systems change to support their collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.
Their purpose is to redefine success in business by building a community of engaged businesses, raising awareness of the B Corp Movement, and influencing change in the UK economy.
Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
A Strategic Move: B-Corp Certified
Becoming a B Corp is not just a certification; it’s a strategic move that brings numerous benefits for our clients. It helps them build relationships and stand out in the market. Most importantly, it allows them to demonstrate their entire social and environmental performance, showcasing their commitment to sustainability and social impact.
The B-Corp Journey Explained
Racheal Carley founded Carley Coaching in 2021; with a career in development training and a background in social entrepreneurship, she used her experience in business and passion for social impact, personal development and love for the outdoors to support purpose-driven leaders to achieve their goals.
We spoke with Rachael Carley to get an insight on how to get started on your B Corp journey.
The best way to get started on your journey to becoming a B Corp is to create a free account with B Lab UK.
Their online tool is called the Business Impact Assessment or “BIA”, and this is where you can measure the current impact of your business. – find out more here.
The BIA is also a brilliant tool to help you understand how to improve the sustainability of your business in the five areas B Corps are assessed in.
The questions and supporting information within the tool can help you learn more about sustainability best practices, decide how ambitious you want to be, and prioritise the areas that make sense for your business. You can also use the tool to set goals and create a plan.
Over time, you may feel inspired to improve your sustainability in areas you may not have considered before!
There are also many resources on the B Lab website to help you understand the B Corp standards and the process of becoming certified. – find out more here.
There’s even a free online course on how to use the BIA!
B Corp certification is a little different from other Environmental or Sustainability certifications in that you’re assessed in the areas of your Governance, Workers, Environment, Community, and Customers – it’s all about demonstrating how you engage with your stakeholders and provide a positive benefit to them.
A unique part of being a B Corp is the requirement to make a legal change to your company’s Articles of Association.
The change commits a business to publish an Annual Impact Report and consider the interests of society and the planet alongside the interests of shareholders when making important decisions.
Most companies will need to take some time to improve their score before they have the 80+ points required to become B Corp certified.
People sometimes ask what motivates me or other companies to be B Corp certified. I’ve noticed a few reasons that come up consistently. Here are three of them.
Firstly, most B Corps genuinely believe that businesses can and should be a force for good. All B Corps sign a “Declaration of Interdependence” at the point of certification, making B Corps a movement of businesses working towards systemic change. It’s great to feel a part of this community!
Secondly, B Corp certification provides a framework for delivering high standards of social and environmental impact that is trusted and respected. The rigorous certification process gives customers, workers and other stakeholders confidence in company performance. A commercial benefit to this is that B Corps tend to outperform their peers in talent attraction, staff retention, and ability to attract and secure funding, investment, customers, and loyalty.
Thirdly, there is accountability. Most B Corps will have their social and environmental pledges at the forefront of their minds because they are made public. A commitment to continual improvement and a requirement to be open and transparent about progress can result in businesses that have a very clear mission and vision, with identified performance indicators and sustainability plans. Generally speaking, this makes B Corps very aware of their social and environmental impact and leads to systems and processes that ensure sustainability is at the heart of all they do.
A quote from Roland Stanley from Dragon Coworking who has just completed my Be More B programme –
‘Becoming a Bcorp is essential to growing our company and showing the world our true values and motivation to do good. Our local community, members and team are all part of our journey, and with Bcorp, we can show who we are with one accreditation’
Becoming a B corp has many benefits as stated, to get guidance on starting your B-Corp journey, contact Rachael Carley today.
For more information on how to advertise and shout about your B corp journey, book in a free consultation with us:
