become a B Corp business

Niche Free-From Kitchen's Marc Warde looks at overcoming challenges on the way to B Corp certification...

DeciDe if iT’s fOr yOu

B Corp certification, by B Lab, verifies that a company “meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.” It takes a long time to achieve and must come from an authentic desire to make the hard changes necessary.

Creating real change in big organisations such as airlines is no small task, so it must start at the top and engage everyone in the organisation so they are all part of the change that must follow. You can tell when an organisation is merely paying lip service to the goals rather than being truly authentic and engaged.

Assess WHere yOu Are

Assess your company’s level of environmental impact. Understand and share the truth so you can look for ways to engage your people and improve. That means examining every facet of your business, ignoring no detail. When absolutely nothing is left, start over again because the process involves constantly searching for ways to improve and reduce your impact on the world. Facts are facts, flying and most other forms of travel are polluting. Although we know that, we still want to travel. So we must do everything we can to reduce its impact or our children and children’s children will pay the price.

Define yOur ApprOAcH

What is it you want to achieve in your business and leave behind? Define your company’s approach to creating a positive impact. Mission statements may seem old school but can bring people towards a set of unified goals. A written corporate mission statement can be public facing or formally shared with company employees.

Keep AsKing quesTiOns

You can ask many questions to help guide you. That includes getting feedback from engaged stakeholders about your social and environmental performance. Consider what your company does to promote ethical decision-making. Think about a legal framework to ensure that your social and environmental performance is part of your decision-making, regardless of company ownership.

WOrK TOgeTHer

It’s cathartic and encouraging when you engage your people in finding long-term solutions that make a difference. Remember we are all in this together and collaborating with your competitors to make change is encouraged. •