For a single brewery that’s a staggering figure but it wasn’t a happy accident, rather the result of a deliberate commitment to helping local businesses flourish and supporting local employment.
This figure emerged while compiling our latest Impact Report, a yearly update required by our B Corporation certification. If you’ve not heard of this standard before, it is – in a nutshell – awarded to businesses meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency, who balance profit with positive societal and environmental impact.
Very grand sounding… however, it’s not about lofty ideals and unrealistic ethics, it’s about translating values into practice, and practice into progress, which is what I like about this scheme and one of the reasons why I chose to apply it to Stroud Brewery.
Investing in people and the local community are cornerstones of the B Corp philosophy. At Stroud Brewery, over 70% of our spend on suppliers is within a 50-mile radius. By keeping our spend local and supporting local businesses and local jobs, we also ensure the money spent over your bar stays within the community.
Virtuous circle
According to the New Economics Foundation, £10 spent with a local business delivers £25 in total economic benefit to the local economy, compared to just £14 when spent at a supermarket.
This creates a ‘virtuous circle’. When local businesses flourish, people have more disposable income to spend in their local, and the community identity becomes stronger. As publicans, we know a pub is only as healthy as the neighbourhood it serves.
Beyond the bar, B Corp status has become one of our most effective recruitment tools. Almost every job applicant tells us they applied specifically because of our social and environmental commitments that are verified by the B Corporation status and logo. In an industry facing a chronic skills shortage, being a ‘force for good’ makes you an employer of choice.
Once those applicants become employees, the B Corp standards check that staff receive good training, are supported to carry out their jobs effectively and feel confident and safe.
Powerful signal
All of the B Corp work acts as a powerful signal to both existing and potential customers of how much a company cares beyond viewing people as simply a way to make money.
For publicans, this isn’t just about ethics; it’s about meeting a surging consumer demand for delivering responsibility as well as quality products. In a survey by CGA by NIQ, 44% of respondents said sustainability is important in their choice of venue – and 47% of Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to pay more for sustainable options when eating at pubs, bars and restaurants.
March is B Corp Month, a global celebration of the businesses that believe commerce can be done differently. You don’t need to be a certified B Corp yourself to benefit from this movement.
By stocking B Corp certified brands, publicans can instantly signal their own values to their customers. It tells them that you care about the positive impact you have and the people behind the pint.
There are quite a few of us B Corp breweries around now: just head to the business directory on B Lab’s website to find one.
