24 / IN DEBATE
To be or not to B-Corp? Those serious about sustainable business practice agree accredited recognition is key. Julie Baxter debates the challenge of securing B-Corp certification with Marc Warde Eco credentials matter for the planet and for business but WHY SHOULD SUSTAINABLE BUYERS LOOK FOR CERTIFICATION ALONG THEIR PROCUREMENT SUPPLY CHAIN?
WHY IS INDEPENDENT CERTIFICATION IMPORTANT? Corporate social responsibility is generally self-measured, or self-assessed. Manufacturers and suppliers submit to various audits and accreditations, BRCGS, STS, AOECS, Medina Food Quality and the like, but none centre on environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals or credentials yet these are the ones that ensure an organisation is run responsibly, something that I believe should be at the core of a sustainable business. There are lots of organisations setting up to assess this but B-Corp is widely recognised as one of the global leaders in this field. MW
WHAT IS B-CORP STATUS? B Corporation (also B-Lab or B-Corp) is a global non-profit organisation which certifies for-profit companies in recognition of their "social and environmental performance". It is a rigorous assessment across many elements of the business and certified companies must re-certify every three years to maintain their status. MW
HOW DO YOU GET CERTIFIED? It is not straightforward. You must examine every facet of your business, your customers, your philosophy, your training, your employees and, as a manufacturer, everything that goes with that. The assessment basically covers your entire impact on the world. MW
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? In your own manufacturing business, there are many things you can control yourself but when supplying travel operators there MW
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