If your reaction to this is ‘B what?’ then you’ll be unaware the UK houses the greatest concentration of B Corporations in the world.
This select band includes some breweries such as my own Stroud Brewery, along with Days Brewing, Brewgooder, Small Beer and Tiny Rebel.
When Stroud Brewery became a B Corp (as they’re called for short) in 2018, the total globally was only 2,000 and B Corps were a well-kept secret.
Wow, how that has changed with more than 2,400 in the UK alone and over 9,000 worldwide in 104 countries, covering 160 industries. And size is irrelevant – the rollcall includes multinationals such as Ben & Jerry’s, Danone, Patagonia and Emma Bridgewater.
OK, impressive figures, but ‘what are B Corps?‘, you’re probably asking.
In a nutshell, it’s a global certification for companies meeting high standards of social & environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
They aren’t simply companies offering greener products and services, most cover the normal contents of any business directory: from financial advisers, food producers and clothing manufacturers to recruitment services, accountants and architects.
Tough criteria
The certification process isn’t easy and businesses must meet tough criteria to qualify, and re-certification is required every three years.
I’ve just spent the past few weeks surrounded by spreadsheets and data about CO2 emissions, waste quantities, staff policies, charity work and all aspects of the company’s performance to complete my brewery’s re-certification application.
Why bother? For me, becoming a B Corp has given the business a whole raft of advantages in addition to being better for society and the planet.
Some of these are particularly valuable in helping us deal with the challenges of the current economic climate and persuading customers to spend some of their precious disposable income with us.
I’d describe the business benefits as falling into two categories: internal operations and external marketing.
Internally, we’ve had to assess the use of resources and energy, the staff’s working conditions and the way we use our money. The end results are: better efficiency, better working conditions and better banking terms. All of which is better for our bottom line, increases the ROI and makes us a better place to work.
Public savvy on greenwashing
Externally, the B Corporation logo is one consumers can trust as a sign of genuine claims around behaving more responsibly. As greenwashing is something that the public is becoming ever more savvy about, the B Corp logo can play an important role in purchasing decisions as a trustworthy mark.
Stroud Brewery’s B Corp status (added to the great taste of our beer) is definitely giving us an advantage in the market – for our taproom, and our on-site and off-site sales.
Overall awareness of the B Corporation brand is not widespread at the moment but that’s changing rapidly especially in the B2B world.
Due to the large number of businesses going through the process, there’s an 18-month waiting list to be certified – more than 400 new businesses have become B Corps in the past 12 months alone.
At the end of the day, sustainability is not just about planting trees or driving electric cars, it’s about creating the conditions for our lifestyles and society to successfully continue for generations to come. It’s about future-proofing what we have – and that includes businesses.