GOING GREEN
Becoming a B Corp
In recent years there has been an influx in businesses signing up to become a ' B Corp ', but what does it actually mean ?
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Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance , public transparency , and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose . B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy .
To become a B Corp , organisations must complete the B Impact Assessment devised by B Lab , the non-profit that administers the B Corp certification . It ' s a free confidential platform designed to help measure and manage a company ' s positive impact on workers , the community , its customers and the environment . It assesses the impact of both a company ' s day-to-day operations and its business model . The questions on your company ’ s B Impact Assessment are determined by company size , sector and market , with around 200 questions . The time it takes to complete the assessment will vary based on your company ' s size and complexity . The content of the B Impact Assessment is overseen by B Lab ’ s independent Standards Advisory Council .
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We talked to Mark Adams , Director at Chippenham-based Managed IT Support firm Mintivo . The company is currently going through the B Corp assessment to find out more about the process .
Why did you decide to become a B Corp ? It ’ s all about making a positive difference in the world . We are extremely focused on what we want to achieve and how we are going to achieve it , so why not align that with our values and become more sustainable along the way ? It ’ s about balancing profit with purpose .
How is the B Corp journey so far ? Our journey to B Corp status has only just started . We have assembled a B Corp focus group to help achieve and promote B Corp from within . We have also just completed our energy impact assessment and are working through the modules stage by stage .
How easy is it to get accredited ? It ’ s not easy at all . There is a rigorous process to go through to prove you are up to the B Corp standard . Your business impact is assessed in every
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area from policies and procedures to the environment and suppliers . Scoring is done on a points system with 80 points being the threshold to pass .
Has embarking on the B Corp journey changed your thinking , your mission statement and the way you do business ? Absolutely . Even in this very early stage we are going to create a new company value to align with B Corp . It has got us looking at how sustainable we really can be , and also what differences we can make in the community and to our employees . It ’ s actually very exciting and quite liberating !
What have you learnt so far ? We have learnt that Mintivo is actually doing quite well with various measures we have in place already ! We also know there is a whole lot more we can do as a company and that is what brings genuine excitement . We know the process won ’ t be easy and difficult choices will have to be made , but the result will be worth it .
When do you hope to be accredited ? B Corp has become a priority for Mintivo . We will complete our assessment and submit for B Corp status in October , however , there is a nine month waiting list at the moment due to the demand and uptake for this prestigious certification . That ’ s ok though . We can continue to develop Mintivo and become a better company whilst we await certification . It ’ s a constant process which evolves and is evaluated every year , so you need to keep on top of things .
How are you engaging the rest of the Mintivo team and perhaps clients in the process ? Engagement is key , and the focus group we have put together will be instrumental in getting across the importance of B Corp . Everyone in Mintivo will have their part to play in the journey to B Corp . Education , local charities , volunteering , policy changes , employee perks – there is a lot of ground to cover .
To find out more about becoming a B Corporation visit : www . bcorporation . uk
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