Of course, the title of this extended article raises the necessary questions, and that is precisely our intention. We are happy to take you on our challenging journey to the B Corp certification.
First of all, we would like to tell you more about the B Corp certification, because what is it? And why do companies want a B Corp certification? And how exactly does such a certification process proceed? In addition, we would like to introduce you to Better Future. They guide Boozed on this journey.
What is a B Corp certification?
A B Corp certification, also known as Benefit Corporation certification, is a recognition for companies that take responsibility for their impact on society and the environment.
It is a label that shows that a company meets high standards of social and environmental responsibility. To achieve this certification, companies will undergo a thorough assessment of their performance on five main pillars: governance, environment, employees, customers and community. These pillars provide insight into the different aspects a company can influence. To become a B Corp, a company has to score at least 80 points on these pillars, which means they have to pass an official assessment.
The main goal of the B Corp certification is to encourage companies to combine profit with societal impact and to set a new standard for responsible governance.
Why...?
In addition to the societal impact, a B Corp certification offers a number of other benefits. It enhances the attractiveness of conscious stakeholders and employees involved, strengthens corporate reputation and credibility and promotes sustainability. It also opens the door to a global network of companies committed to a better world.
The road to it
Achieving the B Corp certification is a process consisting of multiple steps and assessments. The process starts with a thorough assessment, the B Impact Assessment (BIA). During this assessment, the holding shall achieve a minimum score and provide evidence for verification. If the company succeeds, they are expected to sign the B Corp declaration, expressing their commitment to achieving a balance between profit and positive impact.
Long-term standards require recertification every three years. This means that the company is regularly reviewed to check whether it still meets the requirements of the B Corp certification. In this way it is ensured that the company is constantly fulfilling its social and environmental impact obligations.
Boozed has now obtained the certification. We did this partly under the supervision of Annemarie and Larissa van Better Future. To give you a glimpse into this process we have done a super nice interview with them. You can read the interview below.
Are you curious about our score?
Do you want to know how we score on the different aspects of the B Corp assessment? Check out our certification here.
Better Future
Interview with Annemarie (Owner & CEO) and Larissa (Consultant & Facilitator).
Annemarie: In 2014, when I worked for Better Future in America, we first obtained the B Corp certification. We noticed that it was a great and close community, and it really is! It is also recognised worldwide. Each country where B Corp operates has its own B lab, where the approved companies are affiliated. For example, companies from the Netherlands fall within B-Lab BeNeLux.
In every country where we work with Better Future, we contact the local B-Lab, so that we can visit community companies for inspiration. You notice that everyone in the community is really willing to share lessons and engage in conversation. Within the community there is a strong culture of openness.
Radical Transformers
As I mentioned earlier, we have the B Corp certification in the pocket since 2014 and we have been designated by B-Lab as one of the three radical transformers in the Netherlands who accompany other companies in the transition to becoming a B Corp.
Our guidance is twofold: Getting the certificate is one thing, but it is also important that people in and around the company (workers, partners and customers) understand what it means to them and what it means to themselves. That's also the best part: making the way to think and work. We focus on the second aspect of companies, i.e. the experience side of the B Corp status. At Better Future, we aim to ensure that every organisation becomes a business for a good.
Team Better Future
Annemarie: Our international team consists of five permanent employees and a large network of strengthening forces. We also ensure that in all the countries where we are active we have colleagues with whom we work, so that there is someone physically present and we work with someone who understands the culture.
Why do we do what we do?
Annemarie: I believe in a fairer world, where everyone has access to education, food, health care and all other basic principles. And also in the fact that everyone really wants to make a difference, but they don't know how and where to start. At Better Future, we believe that bringing people and companies together, who would not normally meet, can trigger a movement. Here you can think of different branches and worlds, from large offices on the Amsterdam Zuidas to community centers in Rotterdam or family businesses in the region.
What are we doing?
Annemarie: We offer various trajectories, including changes, such as the B Corp that Boozed is currently working on, but also value chain trips. These pathways bring together multiple parties from the value chain to accelerate their impact together. In addition, we are often asked for inclusiveness issues.
Another part of the offer is our leadership program. We are really taking the participants out of their working environment. We use three pillars: Immersive, Inclusive and Invested. Immersive means away from office, to unknown and sometimes uncomfortable environments, such as the Food Bank or more exotic like a leadership trip to Vietnam. As long as it's relevant to the demand and the customer. Inclusive stands for bringing together parties that don't know each other and often we also welcome a company that doesn't have access to the program. These groups will then really spend a few days intensively with each other and become a real connection. Invested means that they also deal with another issue together. A good example, for example, we have put the Saint Boontjes (Rotterdam) in contact with the management team of Jumbo, where they have started working on how Holy beans can become more scalable.
Good to know
Annemarie: I am increasingly asked to speak as a keynote speaker about purpose driving leadership and inclusive leadership. But also for day presidencies working on this theme. I think it's important and fun to challenge people in this area and this in an airy way with humor. I'm going to make big topics personal.
Our customers
Annemarie: The routes we go through make such an impact and make so much impression, that we have built up a large group of alumni. This brings all our customers in via or they decide to cooperate with us again. As a result, the spreading of our story sometimes comes into play, this we can do more. In addition, an agreement that pertains to most of the companies we deal with is a decision-maker who really wants and really believes in it. This varies from large multinationals to SMEs.
Misconceptions
Annemarie: A misconception about our company, which happens to occur, is that people think that we are a non-profit organization, because of the themes we call on, the images we use and the countries we visit. And besides, not so much a misconception about our company, but more about working on impact in general. We have heard several times that people say: We're not ready for that yet. Sometimes they have the idea that they can't start until their business is well. Like it's some kind of luxury good, when you can already make impact at every stage and it's about making money in a different way.
People are also looking for a route that is very transactional, but our routes are transformational and custom-made for every company, as every company is just different. A journey also requires the necessary cooperation of the participants, they must also make an effort to bring about the transformation
Better Future and Boozed
Annemarie: I got in touch with Kim during the Fempower Your Growth program and that's where our collaboration arose. We have accompanied Boozed to obtain the certificate and remain actively involved in their journey after the certification. My colleague Larissa is the one who takes the route with Boozed.
Larissa: Our approach at Boozed is a combination of helping with the certification process, but also integrating what it means to be a B Corp in daily business. How can you involve employees more in shaping and co-creating this journey?
B Corp is an interesting certificate, because it is not only a "b" stamp of the B Corp, but it is more a pursuit of continuous improvement. Therefore, companies have to re-certification every three years.
The beginning...
To optimally start the co-creation process, we have asked Kim to put together an internal multidisciplinary team, with a team member present from every discipline. Together with this team we started to answer various issues such as: Why is Boozed a company? What is the impact they make? How can Boozed contribute to the future? From these questions and discussions with the team an impact mission emerged. A very important aspect of the whole process and obtaining the B Corp certification, Larissa says.
Inspiration trips
Larissa: Our entire guidance course consists of different parts. A very inspiring part are the inspirational trips. At Better Future, we think you should experience things and step out of your daily work environment to learn and become more innovative.
After the kick-off and various brainstorms with Boozed we went out. The first company we visited is The Food Line Up. We had a number of different reasons for that. They operate in the same industry, Kim mentioned them as one of her sources of inspiration in the field of B Corp and they have created a very clear vision and mission. And that last one was exactly what our sessions at Boozed were about at the time. We had a great afternoon with the TFLU team and talked about issues such as:
What does it mean in practice to be a B Corp?
What change in mentality is required in daily work?
How do you communicate these priorities to your customers and partners?
Creating the impact mission is certainly not an easy task. We also had a good conversation with TFLU about the event industry and how a B Corp organization can handle this. Events are actually very suitable products, because people want to be surprised and be open to inspiration. In addition, events are temporary and therefore perfect for testing and innovation.
During our second inspiration trip we went to Stichting Stunt, a company close to Boozed. The purpose of our visit was to talk about their vision and mission, and to understand what it means to them to be a mission-driven organization. We were impressed by their strong entrepreneurial spirit, focusing on solutions rather than problems. They also perform many different tests to improve their products. The various visits made the B Corp team think. An important conclusion, which has emerged, is the importance of measurableness. It is essential to plan measurement moments so that progress can be evaluated and figures available to communicate and strengthen the story of Boozed and the impact mission. It is also very important that owners and companies are clear and transparent about why they are a B Corp and what their mission is, so that other companies, partners, colleagues learn to understand the company's choices better.
The final phase
We have had a number of sessions with Boozed and finally completed the B Impact Assessment. Of course, this has not happened within a day and it is a time when new documents have to be handed in. So that B Corp can decide whether the company can receive the certification or that any changes are required.
And yes on August 22 we received the good news Boozed is now a B Corp! After a thorough review process, Boozed has been certified as a leading company in the global movement for an inclusive, just and regenerative economy.
Boozed is now officially recognized as part of a select but growing group of companies committed to good. What this means in practice is that Boozed takes its social and environmental impact seriously, and will continue to take actions in line with that objective. Becoming a B Corp is not just a medal for good work. It is about dedication to constantly renew and improve itself, to push the needle wherever possible and as urgently as possible. It is also about being a leader in the industry, raising the bar and influencing other companies to do better. Larissa says that there will be much more! In the coming months, Boozed's B Corp team will continue working with Better Future to shape and content the next steps in Boozed's impact agenda.
Sidenote
Larissa: What I like to mention is that every guidance course is tailor-made, so every journey is different. Achieving the B Corp certification is actually only the first step and more a start signal, because it is a continuous process and a commitment that concerns the company.
