B Corp ushers in a new era of corporate responsibility
A quiet revolution is taking place in boardrooms across the globe as companies embrace clear environmental and social standards that go far beyond making vague ‘green’ claims.
Introducing B Corp.
It’s easy to trumpet products and services with vague claims of green, ethical standards. Slapping a green label on a product is often a clever little marketing move targeting sophisticated consumers who have a growing sense of global citizenship, interconnectedness and are more demanding about how their goods are sourced and manufactured.
But now B Corp certification – a rigorous new social and environmental standard – is helping business track, record and benchmark their performances to make a better world. But B Corp not only measures the product. It also tracks the company behind it on five measures; workers, community, environment, customers and governance. And with a high benchmark and a re-evaluation every three years that measures continuous improvement, the certification is determined to make a difference in the world.
Brazil company Natura and Co., home to some of the biggest brands in beauty including Avon, The Body Shop and Aesop, was among the largest and first publicly listed company to go B Corp. Chief Brand, Innovation, International and Sustainability Officer Andrea Álvares told Forbes that the B Corp certification gives purpose and meaning to her work.
“The overarching proposition is to become the best beauty company or group for the world. And we have openly stolen that from the B movement,” she said.=
“One of the first ones is the comprehension that everything is interdependent, that nothing exists by itself. And therefore, we are responsible for our impact in the world, that our actions have impact, and that we should be responsible for them and understand them. And then translating that into a business model where you are measuring different indicators that are evidence of your impact; not just financial, but environmental, social, and how you gather that into your triple bottom line evaluation of value generation,” she said.
Natura and Co. joins over 4,500 other companies who have met the standards including Nespresso, Evian, Patagonia and a growing list of service providers who have committed to a more positive impact that moves far beyond a marketing gimmick.
As a B Corp Consultant, Unitive head Joe Ringer shares that commitment to the triple P bottom line – People, Planet and Profit.
“Unitive is committed to making a positive impact in our world,” he says. “As a company with a long history of being on a continuous improvement journey, we try to reframe business in ways that think beyond profit.”
The Unitive suite of businesses have been at the forefront in helping businesses and organisations in Australia and other parts of the world reshape their company DNA and leadership in ways that provide a more sustainable way of doing business.
“There are clear environmental and social challenges that need to be addressed and we believe that business has a role in shaping a fairer and more just world,” Joe says.
Contact Unitive to find out more about how we can support your journey in becoming a B Corp.
