10 March
What it means to be B Corp Certified.
This B Corp month, we want to take the opportunity to chat about all things B Corp.
Read on to find out more about B Corp Month, what it means to us, the process of becoming certified, and our advice for those interested in starting the certification process.
So, what is B Corp Month?
Every March, B Lab and the global B Corp community celebrate ‘B Corp Month.’ This offers an opportunity for B Corps from around the world like us, to celebrate what it means to be a B Corp. The goal is to build awareness about the B Corp movement and show people the way to do business.
What does it mean to be a B Corp?
Certified B Corporations are businesses that are independently certified to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and public transparency. It’s about operating in a way that positively impacts our economic system, including our people, our communities, and our planet. Being a B Corp is about choosing long-term investments over quick wins, and measuring success based on the positive impact this creates. Holding a B Corp certification is a commitment to looking beyond business as usual in order to do good.
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What does the process of becoming B Corp Certified entail?
To start the journey to B Corp certification, businesses must complete the B Impact Assessment (BIA), which is a free tool designed to help measure business performance and impact across the following five areas: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.
To apply to become a B Corp, a score of 80 points or above must be achieved, and to maintain certification businesses must update their BIA and verify their updated score every three years.
Check out B Lab’s guide to becoming a B Corp for all the information you need to help navigate your certification journey.
Why is being a B Corp important to decent?
Since our inception we have always strived to do ‘better’ business. And while we have walked these values since day one, learning more about what being a B Corp stands for, we immediately respected what it stood for and knew it aligned with our values at decent and what we were wanting to achieve.
Being a B Corp is about holding ourselves accountable and sets a standard for us to build from – all the while continuing to produce sustainable and compostable packaging alternatives to traditional oil-based plastics.
B Corp is a mark of social and environmental responsibility and since becoming certified in October of 2023, we couldn’t be prouder to be a part of the community. While the minimum standard set is 80 points, we scored a total of 103.9 in our first assessment and look forward to building on this in the future.
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Some decent advice to those looking to become B Corp certified.
While it can seem daunting, our decent advice is to just start the process! The assessment tool is valuable to read through for all stages of businesses. Whether you are just starting out or an already established business, the questions in the B Impact Assessment will give you clarity on not only what you want your business to be, but can also help identify any areas of improvement. It’s a great way to review and look inward and can be used as a framework for continuous improvement.
So where to from here?
Achieving our B Corp certification is just another step in our sustainability journey, and we know the hard work doesn’t end here. We are committed to continuously improving, and implementing sustainable improvements that are made in the packaging industry. We thank you, our customers, for being on this journey with us and helping us continue to bring sustainable packaging to the world.
Want to know more about our B Corp certification?
Explore our B Corp profile here, learn more on our website, or check out the video below.
Need more info? Treat your ears to B Lab’s “Forces for good” podcast 🎧
