What is B-Corp

A Certified B-Corp is a business that meets rigorous standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency. These standards cover a wide range of factors, from employee benefits to environmental impact. It's a comprehensive certification that signifies a commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

In all seriousness, there is a lot more to being a B-Corp Certified company, so I highly suggest going to check out their website to learn more. It’s informative and robust. However, it wasn’t the thing that tipped me over the edge towards getting Wakefield B-Corp Certified.

B-Corp isn’t merely a certification. It’s a way of being. You might be saying, “Sounds philosophical and lofty.” Being a B-Corp is not just a lofty ideal; it’s a tangible reality that brings numerous benefits.

A B-Corp is a corporation that seeks to use business as a force for good in all its decisions, operations, and, ultimately, impact. A B-Corp wants to make a positive impact on people, the planet, and for a purpose.

What does this mean?

A B-Corp makes decisions that positively impact people related to the corporation. For workers, B-Corps pays them wages that aren’t just the minimum but rather help them to live in their chosen location. Also, benefits are given to ensure their wellness holistically. For suppliers, B-Corps will evaluate their impact on human rights and how they (suppliers) treat their workers.

In terms of the planet, a B-Corp prioritizes choices that will positively impact the planet. Anywhere from allowing remote working to minimize commuting, choosing local suppliers to reduce carbon footprint, enforcing recycling protocols, etc., and ultimately making choices that minimize our overall impact on the planet. The hope is to recognize that business has an impact on our home and that we can be a part of the solution towards helping it heal.

When it comes to purpose, this is about how the business is built and how its core ethos is about generating a positive impact on society at large. Whether it's ensuring a diverse cross-section of people represented or building trust with the communities where B-Corps operate, it's about going beyond merely generating profit. Now, don’t get me wrong, generating profit isn’t negotiable when it comes to being a business, but being a B-Corp, we want more. We want to use business itself, through its systems, structures, and goals, to be more than just about business.

Why Choose Being a B-Corp?

Being a B-Corp is about seeing business differently, where the priorities are different, and ultimately, how work gets done is different. Because the way matters. The B-Corp way impacts so many different facets of life and society. For us, becoming certified as a B-Corp really helped us gain a glimpse of just how many things are connected to the way we do business.

Embarking on the path to becoming a B-Corp is a transformative journey, and being certified is just a significant milestone on that journey. Once you’re certified, it merely means the way you think and operate your business has been recognized by someone other than yourself and your clients. It just means someone sees your intentions and actions. You can argue that you could BE a B-Corp without getting certified. This could be true, but the certification allows for a level of accountability and transparency that helps you make sure you are what you say you are. Like our good friends at Decade Impact keep repeating: Don’t spin a better story. Be a better company.

For Wakefield Agency , becoming a B-Corp has definitely helped us with that.

#BCorp #BCurious B Lab U.S. & Canada