We were thinking about the best way to celebrate B Corp month and that prompted a discussion on our favourite things about being a B Corp. I can sum it up in one word... community.
B Corps work together and support each other. How?
They buy from each other. We eat Divine Chocolate and Cook Food, drink Toast Ale and Chateau Maris wine, we wear Finisterre clothing and start every morning with Cafédirect...
They collaborate. We have worked with so many other B Corps but here are a few examples.
- We make all the reclaimed scaffolding plaques to welcome new B Corps to the UK community. Here are the ones that went to Don't Cry Wolf and Innocent:
- We designed a bespoke, limited edition, holster for Dopper, so that people could carry their reusable water bottles hands free.
- We make Notebooks for a lot of B Corps including The Exclusive Collection:
- We designed these pencil cases from rescued printing blankets for Incite (part of the Kin + Carta group)
- We made some stunning Messenger Bags for Shoplight, celebrating their B Corp certification with some subtle laser etching under the flap
- And COOK... where do we start! We made a kitchen for their Tunbridge Wells store, we make their sandwich boards and cutting board signage (all from rescued wood), we use their food for our events and host their team away days! Here is a whole crew doing a recipe challenge in the workshop!
They promote each other. Allbirds just hosted two fellow B Corp founders at an International Women's Day event, myself and Stephanie Jordan from Avallen. I have also spoken at events organised by Coutts, the Guardian, Oxwash and many more!
And we are working together to truly make business a force for good. The UK B Corp movement is a driver behind the Better Business Act, which brings together businesses to change the UK law to ensure every company in the UK aligns their interests with those of wider society and the environment.
This also means that there will be critics - and there will be growing pains. In February 2023 the FT wrote an article about the struggle for the soul of the movement and I don't think this is a bad thing. We are collectively trying to do something amazing, in a dream world all businesses would be striving to be B Corps and then, once certified, would be striving to improve. And it is worth noting is that each and every one of these businesses, including mine, is putting its head above the parapet. The best businesses, particularly the vocal ones, invite the most scrutiny and often criticism. One of Elvis' favourite quotes? Elbert Hubbard. "To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing...." Well, given the challenges we face, we need more talking, more doing and a lot more 'being something'.
