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Business as a force for good
Why more organisations like the Business Design Centre are opting to become B Corp Certified and how it became the UK ’ s first major venue to achieve it
With numerous sustainability models and accreditations out there , the question of credibility and the decision of which to adopt has become a familiar discussion point among industry groups . The challenge facing many , however , can be one of the resources available in committing to lengthy assessments or the financial constraints around employing consultants over better use of that spend in ‘ just getting the job done ’; leaving some decision makers in a choice paralysis .
Many businesses looking to the future are focusing not just on their environmental impact , but on how they can leave a legacy within the communities that they serve and on the people that they nurture . Set against a backdrop of both the climate emergency and the cost of living crisis , it ’ s no surprise that the B Corp movement has seen dramatic uptake , announcing in September there has been a 50 % increase in newly certified UK businesses in less than a year .
There are now over 7,500 certified B Corps globally , 1,500 of these are in the UK and London is at the epicentre with the most B Corps in the world . But how has the not-for-profit garnered such a global following in a little over seven years ? And why would it be the choice over other standards and models ?
At the Business Design Centre
( BDC ), serving its community has been at the heart of business operations since forming the Morris Charitable Trust in 1989 , in addition to continually accrediting as a leading employer through Investors in People for over two decades . Its first ‘ green team ’ was conceived in 2008 and the venue has just surpassed 13 years as a certified carbon-neutral venue , setting the goal of meeting net zero by 2030 . “ Looking at how to move forward from a place where the business was already progressing in so many areas , made the choice to become B Corp Certified almost a natural next step ”, comments BDC CEO , Dominic Jones .
The B Corp certification process is centralised around its evolving framework for environmental , societal and governance best practices , which looks to realise a world where business is used as a force for good .
Achieving certified status is no mere tick-box exercise . It is underpinned by mandatory annual reporting and a legal commitment ; requiring amendments to a company ’ s Articles of Association , incorporating approved language that companies must adopt verbatim . It is this , which protects the purpose of the company and defines the intention of Directors to consider the interests of all stakeholders when making decisions , prioritising people and the planet alongside profit .
Choosing to embark on the journey , which took the BDC 18 months to complete , begins with the B Impact Assessment . The online platform , adjusts to specific industries and , along with the company size , affects the range of questions asked . It is this , which allows a business to measure and more importantly , improve it ’ s positive impact performance in relation to the environment as well as its community , customers , suppliers , employees and shareholders . Signing up to the assessment tool is free and can be used without obligation , providing a straightforward route to benchmarking a company ’ s activities .
Questions unfold over five key areas : governance , workers , community , environment and customers , with a minimum score of 80 out of 200 required to progress . “ The dive is deep , uncovering everything from volunteer hours and community giving , diversity metrics , wellness and career development initiatives through to specifics on environmental performance and improvement ”, explains BDC marketing & communications director , Kate Vandenburg .
Completion of the online assessment , having met this score , takes companies through a verification phase . With the growing popularity of the certification , being
26 — Winter