You are here: / / B Corp

Posts

From profit to purpose – Tim’s aha moment

/in /by

This is me in my former life. I spent 10 years in medical device sales.

Right: Tim Jones at work in his previous life as a sales person for surgical medical devices.

Yes, think of Netflix programmes like “The Pharmacist” and “Painkillers” but not as seedy. At least the products I sold were actually fixing people who had things actually wrong with them.

Life was great. I had tons of money, a free car, healthcare, I’d get to go to the best restaurants, travelled internationally and was generally living an amazing life.

I thought I was living a life of meaning and I was, to a degree. My job was to go into operating theatres and ensure that the surgical teams got the best outcomes for the patients they were operating on.

But I wasn’t truly purpose driven. Because fundamentally I was only focused on me maximising my financial return.

After a while, I got thinking about things I was seeing in the industry that didn’t sit right with me.

It started when one of the companies I was working for got into a spot of trouble.

A company Tim worked with allowed patients to die rather than admit their product was not ready for market.

 

MEDICAL MISADVENTURES

The medical device industry is hyper competitive and for companies to maintain market share they need to stay ahead of the pack. This means launching products to market as quickly as possible. It also means that patient care is not always the priority as was demonstrated with four patients dying on the operating table with the launch of one product. Sadly, this launch was being driven by the surgeon who was also as shareholder in the company.

At the time though, the internal spin machine kicked in and you are soon able to compartmentalise this and move on.

A few years later, there was another speed wobble when a whistle-blower in one of the major device companies reported their company to the US Department of Justice for making illegal payments to surgeons. They were, in many cases, literally being paid by the companies to use their products.

 

Again, the companies came out with the spin. ‘It’s a level playing field’ they said. ‘We are all doing it so it must be okay, right?’

Something inside of me just didn’t feel right.

I started to question what I was doing.

It was the birth of my daughter, Daisy, on the backdrop of the Canterbury earthquakes that made me really sit up and take a good look at what I was doing.

After all, if an industry that should be all about saving people was knowingly killing them just to make more money what was I doing?

Some of the companies that I worked for even had the values about how their primary aim was to make people better engraved in stone in their offices, but it just wasn’t true.

All they cared about was profit maximisation at any cost, and the surgeons were not much better!

I got to feeling that I was living against my moral compass, I was a part of a system and a way of doing things that didn’t align.

Ultimately, I got to thinking there had to be more to life?

THE AHA MOMENT

And so, in 2013 I finally decided enough was enough. I made the leap.

I clearly remember the moment when that switch was flicked. I was standing in the operating theatre bearing witness to some appalling but typical behaviour. I went home afterwards and said to my wife, ‘I’m done’.

Now, the medical device world is a very strange one in many ways and so I thought perhaps all the things I’d seen were specific to that industry.

So, I applied for around 60 different roles in all sorts of industries. I just wanted to get a feel for what else was out there.

Ultimately, I was hired as the General Manager for a firm of surveyors in Christchurch.

At first it felt great.

I was building a team and helping them pursue opportunities that were supporting the rebuild of Christchurch after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.

But after a while the cracks started to appear.

Within the company, it was clear that maximising profit was the overarching driver for all decisions – frequently at the expense of personnel.

But beyond that, most of the people in the wider construction industry also just cared about maximising their financial return at any cost to society or the environment,

It was a proper case of out the frying pan and into the fire.

There was this growing misalignment within me – what I now call the authenticity gap.

There were two Tims living inside me – Work Tim and Home Tim.

Work Tim is the one who towed the line and nodded in the meetings about increasing utilisation and productivity while Home Tim was in my heart telling me that I was on the wrong path.

And I was really struggling with life. With this dualism. I couldn’t get my head around the fact that life was just going to be like this.

Is this all there is for the next 40 years?

I figured ‘well it must be me, not them’ and this created some high levels of depression and anxiety. I just wanted out of this system.

But to help work out why I was feeling that way, I went searching inside myself for some answers:

How had I ended up here?

How had we all ended up here?

Why did I spend so long thinking that what I was doing was actually okay?

Why couldn’t anyone else see what I was seeing?

Surely, I couldn’t be the only one struggling with how we were running the show?

Well, the good news is that I wasn’t alone.

Having gone down a Google rabbit hole I stumbled across this group called B Corporation.

B what?

Certified B Corps are a new form of business that seeks to balance purpose and profit. This means that rather than solely focusing on profit maximisation, they consider the impact of their operations on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.

There was this collection of businesses around the world that felt the same way as me!

They had a common vision of working to be the best for the world, not the best in the world.

They were these amazing organisations that had a declared higher purpose that was prioritised over just making a profit.

A bit more research showed that there was even one in New Zealand, and it was called Eagle Protect and it was in Christchurch!

After a week of umming and ahhing I figured I had nothing to lose so I sent the CEO Steve Ardagh an email and asked him if I could come round for a cuppa.

A 45-minute meeting turned into a 2 ½ hour extravaganza of my mind being blown by the possibilities of this B Corp movement.

I knew that this is what I had been looking for.

I’d found my tribe.

But how could I get amongst it?

Initially I thought that I could get the surveying company I worked for to look at B Corp.

But they were just not interested.

At the same time, I was also keen to explore the idea of coaching and training as a career path. It had been something that I had toyed with for a few years but didn’t know how to get into it.

After a couple of conversations with some contacts though I managed to get a role doing just that.

Working for a small family-owned business that was values-aligned, I thought they might be open to this B Corp idea, but they just had too much on their plate to consider it.

It seemed that I’d reached a dead end.

But then I figured I’d been talking to everyone about this B Corp concept, perhaps I should pony up and go do it myself.

And in late 2015, I was offered the perfect opportunity as I and the rest of the team were made redundant from the training company.

Now for anyone contemplating the leap into self-employment, here are a few tips on how not to do it:

  • Don’t have a young child.
  • Don’t have a partner who is not earning because they are looking after said child.
  • Don’t have a mortgage.
  • Don’t have a father living in the UK that gets diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

There were compelling arguments pulling me back, to go and get a ‘proper job’ as my mum would say, but my sense of resolve was massive due to my sense of purpose, and I knew I only had one option.

To go and start my own B Corp.

2016 was a year of challenge for sure.

Starting a business in a fledgling industry was tough enough.

But the harder conversations were to be had with my father over three-month long trips back to the UK as we tried to work out our relationship as he was getting more ill.

All the while trying to make a crust and keep my business alive.

But the more I looked at what I felt I was being pulled to do, the more my resolve was strengthened,

Unfortunately, November saw my father pass but by the end of 2016, the launch of my new company, Grow Good, was on track.

I was certified as one of the first 10 B Corps in NZ and my personal purpose was locked in – to co-create a world of abundance that my daughter could inherit, where every human thrives in a manner that is regenerative to each other and the planet we call home.

And that’s what I am all about now.

I do that by helping others get on the B Corp journey.

Maybe you want to grow more good in your world?

Maybe you don’t know where to start?

It’s completely up to you but our e-book could be a great place for you to start to learn more about B Corp and how it can help you become the business the world needs right now… or if you’re ready to chat about it, book some time in with me here.

Yours in purpose,

Tim

 

Should you B Corp?

/in /by

If you’re in business, chances are you’ve already heard about B Corp certification. If so, you’ve probably wondered whether it’s the right thing for your company. You’ll most likely be asking yourself, ‘How will I benefit?’ and ‘Where do I even begin?’ Excellent questions! Let’s first address how your business could benefit and then we’ll tell you how to begin.

Currently there are almost 130 Kiwi businesses that have B Corp Certification. This includes big businesses like Ethique, Kathmandu, Chia Sisters, Kiwibank, ecostore, Synlait Milk, and Pic’s Peanut Butter but also plenty of small businesses like Twiice, Like-Minded Learning, Sustained Fun, Tax Traders, Soul Studio Hot Yoga, Two Islands, and many more.

Globally, the movement is growing at an exponential rate. As more businesses take the B Corp plunge, even more are weighing up the benefits of becoming B Corp certified. That’s why we’ve put together this short ‘why and how’ of B Corp because when it’s done right, sustainability and B Corp is a massive opportunity. Let’s start with six reasons why…

  1. Brand Loyalty

More shoppers are choosing ethical products and services. Many are prepared to pay more for sustainable brands. Millennials (80%) are almost twice as likely than Baby Boomers (48%) to pay more for sustainable products [Nielsen]. In the US, sales of products marketed as sustainable grew 5.6 times faster than other products from 2013 to 2018 [NYU Stern Center]

  1. Recruitment and retention

The best talent are choosing to work for companies that align with their values. As well, existing staff are engaged and retained for longer. 75% of millennials would take a smaller salary to work for a sustainable company [G&A Institute survey] while according to LinkedIn, demand for ‘green’ jobs has tripled.

  1. Cost savings

Businesses are finding significant cost savings from sustainable efficiencies and innovation. In one year, IBM saved $1.35 million from energy conservation initiatives. Interface Flooring saved $450 million by reducing/recycling its manufacturing waste from 1996 to 2013.

  1. Legislation-proofing

ESG regulation is coming thick and fast. Governments are mandating companies to align with a net-zero agenda through policy and legislation. As well, the growth of climate change-related litigation is becoming a risk which businesses of all types cannot afford to ignore.

  1. Access to capital

Increasingly, financiers, bankers, insurers and investors won’t work with companies that don’t have a sustainability strategy. CEO of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, Larry Fink said: “There is no company whose business model won’t be profoundly affected by the transition to a net-zero economy.” Companies seeking investment with BlackRock must provide a plan for how their business model will be compatible with a net zero economy.

  1. It boosts your bottom-line

That’s right, you make more money. Overall, B Corps are outperforming their non-B Corp peers. This has been empirically studied by a European university that found that based on data from 2012 to 2018, European B Corps had higher turnover as a result of B Corp certification. As well, a US academic study found that businesses that got on the sustainability train enjoyed a nine per cent increase in sales.

That’s just a few of the B Corp benefits. For some NZ industries, including wine and honey, B Corp is quickly becoming the norm so before long businesses that aren’t B Corp in some industries will be standing out for the wrong reasons.

If you’re ready to strap on your B Corp boots, you can do it all yourself by logging onto www.BImpactAssessment.net, registering for a free account and then answering the 200 or so questions that are relevant for your business. Some businesses though, get stuck doing it by themselves. So you also have the option of hiring a B Corp consultant, like us here at Grow Good. We live, breathe, and sleep B Corp. We exist to help businesses get B Corp certified as quickly as possible and with the highest score possible. If you need a hand, give us a call – details below. Or if you just want some more information for now, click here.

Become a B Corp

Are you more convinced that B Corp is right for you? Would you like to join the B Corp companies using business as a force for good? Here at Grow Good, we exist to coach people through the process of becoming B Corp certified.

The B Corp Impact Assessment framework  is free to access and provides dozens of useful insights and opportunities for any business but it can be confusing and overwhelming.

We are consultants who have completed the official training provided by B Lab, the organisation that runs the B Corp certification programme. We live, breathe and sleep B Corp. We are your friendly B Corp buddies. We make it easier. We translate the questions into plain English and give you a host of template policies and example documents so you don’t have to start everything from scratch or reinvent the wheel. We show you how to unlock the big point scoring areas most relevant to your business.

Are you ready to go B Corp? It’s completely your decision but if you are, and if you think it would be helpful to have a guiding hand through the process, we’re here to help. Drop us a line or jump straight in and book a free call here.

Yours in purpose,

Kia kaha,

Tamara

tamara@growgood.co

Fashion to die for

/in /by

I love Paul Polman and I don’t care who knows it.

‘Who’s he when he’s at home,’ you ask? Polman is the former CEO of Unilever who transitioned that mammoth brand from its ‘extractive business as usual’ model to a company that is now a role model for sustainable business. And guess what? In doing so he made it more profitable than ever. [Repeat after me: ‘Going green pays’.]

Since leaving Unilever, Paul [if I may be so familiar] has become a tireless campaigner for sustainable business. His latest book is Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take.

But I digress. My love and admiration for Paul Polman is not the purpose of this post. My purpose is to draw attention to his recent article called ‘Fashion as a Force for Good?’ Because our lives depend on it.

Who knew something as frilly, frivolous and fun as fashion could be a key driver in humanity bringing about our own demise. It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘oh that dress is to die for’. Because it really is. In fact, chances are someone in a far-off corner of a developing country already has.

As Paul points out, the fashion industry produces around 10 percent of global carbon emissions and, based on current trends, these could surge. If the whole world stopped making clothes today, there are already enough garments in the world to clothe the next six generations. I mean, WTF? Who signed that off?

Fashion is responsible for staggering water consumption, soil destruction, ocean pollution and landfill, and human rights violations affect vulnerable workers throughout the value chain.

We are swimming in unwanted clothing. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that a bin lorry full of used clothing is landfilled or burned every second. Every single second. That’s three truckloads in the time you took to read this sentence.

Less than 2% of the clothes, shoes and accessories produced every year are recycled into new fashion; most that are recycled are ‘downcycled’ into products such as cushion stuffing and insulation.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

Here’s the thing though. We cannot despair. Despair is another form of delay and time is already in short supply. It’s precisely because fashion has an outsize impact on people and planet that we must work together to transform it. [That’s a quote from Paul, just FYI.]

And thankfully there is plenty of reason to be hopeful! Many fashion companies are undoubtedly raising their game.

  • Fashion giant Patagonia has partnered with social impact companies to launch a new clothing repair centre in London that will provide jobs for those with challenges to finding employment and train them on circular economy methods.
  • Chloé is the first big luxury brand to become a certified B Corp.
  • Both Kering and H&M Group are committed to reducing absolute emissions, rather than a relative figure, where gains are quickly wiped out by growth. Both also include so-called ‘Scope 3’, meaning emissions the companies are indirectly responsible for in their value chains.
  • Inditex aims to get most of its raw materials from sustainable sources within the next two years.
  • Aigle wants to enable people to experience nature “without leaving any impact except their footprints.”

But we need bigger change and we need it faster.

THE FASHION PACT

“Whether you’re Gucci, LVMH or Primark, you all need low- impact materials, like leather which doesn’t cost the Amazon rainforest, and cotton which doesn’t worsen water scarcity, pesticide pollution and global warming. You all need effective recycling systems, instead of relying on landfill,” writes Paul.

“This is why, with Kering’s François-Henri Pinault and myself as founders, we set up The Fashion Pact: a coalition of more than 60 CEOs and 160 brands, representing a third of the global industry, and including ready-to-wear, sports, lifestyle and luxury sectors. The idea is that by taking joint action on climate, ocean pollution and biodiversity, a critical mass of leaders can drive industry-wide reform.

“All members are committed to creating a “net-zero and nature positive” fashion industry.”

“Every Fashion Pact member knows they need to get off fossil fuels. It won’t happen quickly enough if everybody chips away at the problem on their own. So, in a first for the industry, a dozen members are jointly investing in a solar facility in Spain to add much-needed clean energy onto the grid. They’re setting a precedent for fashion, and more joint energy buying will follow.

“Another example: Members are designing a system of carbon credits to help farmers shift to regenerative practices and produce lower-impact cotton. It’s being piloted with hundreds of farmers in India and the US. If the market mechanism works, 25 brands are lined up to adopt it.

“Seventeen have engaged in a joint R&D project to develop a paper alternative to plastic polybags used to transport garments. Led by Chanel and Kering, companies who produce mainly in Europe, are joining forces to help their suppliers decarbonize. High-volume players in Asia are doing similar. And we’ve developed practical tools all fashion businesses need in order to rethink their relationship to nature, and to support biodiversity rather than destroy it.”

That was a big chunk of quoting straight from Paul’s article. To read his full article in Women’s Wear Daily, go to https://wwd.com/sustainability/environment/fashion-sustainability-pollution-pact-polman-unilever-1235891362/

 

Become a B Corp

Are you more convinced that B Corp is right for you? Would you like to join the B Corp companies using business as a force for good? Here at Grow Good, we exist to coach people through the process of becoming B Corp certified.

The B Corp Impact Assessment framework  is free to access and provides dozens of useful insights and opportunities for any business but it can be confusing and overwhelming.

We are consultants who have completed the official training provided by B Lab, the organisation that runs the B Corp certification programme. We live, breathe and sleep B Corp. We are your friendly B Corp buddies. We make it easier. We translate the questions into plain English and give you a host of template policies and example documents so you don’t have to start everything from scratch or reinvent the wheel. We show you how to unlock the big point scoring areas most relevant to your business.

Are you ready to go B Corp? It’s completely your decision but if you are, and if you think it would be helpful to have a guiding hand through the process, we’re here to help. Drop us a line or jump straight in and book a free call here.

Yours in purpose,

Kia kaha,

Tamara

tamara@growgood.co

Sustainability boosts sales by nine per cent

/in /by

There is a mountain of surveys out there now that are telling businesses that if they up their game on sustainability, they will get more sales. The million-dollar question is, are the surveys correct? And it really is a million-dollar question. There’s a whole load of money at stake here (not to mention survival on Earth but don’t get me started…).

Because of course when we’re filling out a survey, most of us we will say ‘absolutely, yes, I buy sustainable brands over those that aren’t and yes, I will pay more for sustainability…’ but do we really do that when we’re standing in the supermarket getting our wallet out? [Or tapping our phones on the payment reader, for younger readers]. Equally, do we choose to shun brands that have had negative press on their social and environmental (E&S) performance?

To find out for sure, once and for all, a new and rigorous empirical study has been carried out by proper serious academics in the US. This comprehensive study set out to find out for sure whether, as shoppers, we really do put our money where our mouth is.

I’ll get straight to the point. Turns out we really, actually do. The results are in and sustainability really does drive a significant boost in sales but wait, there’s more…

SUSTAINABILITY BOOSTS SALES

This study, called Do Consumers Care About ESG? Evidence from Barcode-Level Sales Data, took the E&S ratings from third-party agencies of 192 firms with products in 886 product categories, sold in 2,641 US counties. It looked at the relationship between the E&S rating and sales from barcode data.

Now, crucially, the researchers were also able to control for other factors such as advertising and price in order to really hone in on the causal relationship between E&S and sales.

The findings were conclusive. ESG and corporate social responsibility does drive sales. The scientists stated that: “Our study provides direct evidence that E&S activities affect consumer demand–the cash flow channel of ESG.”

“Using granular barcode-level sales data from retail stores, we show that environmental and social ratings are positively related to local sales… The granularity of our data enables us to compare very similar products sold in the same location at the same time by companies with different levels of E&S activities.”

THE DIFFERENCE ESG MAKES

Okay great, but how much difference does it make? How much more sales does a brand drive when it gets serious on sustainability? On average, the study found that E&S drives a nine per cent increase in sales.

“Based on our estimates, a one-standard-deviation increase in the owner’s E&S rating is related to an increase in sales of 9.2% in the subsequent year for the average product sold in the same county,” the scientists stated (they go into a lot more detail in the report that you can download here).

Of course, a word of caution, this is an ‘on average’ figure. It depends on all sorts of variables such as the type of product, socio-economic factors, etc. But still, it’s a guide.

SALES SLUMP AFTER BAD ESG PRESS

The study also found that if your market competitor has a higher E&S rating, it will negatively affect your sales. In other words, your competition will see their sales climb at the expense of your sales dropping.

As well, the study found that sales decline for a firm that receives negative press on E&S issues.

Finally, the study also found that immediately after major natural and environmental disasters, sales in areas located close to the disasters become more sensitive to environmental ratings.

So, let’s sum that up.

  • If you get serious on your ESG (you know, like becoming a B Corp), your sales will increase by an average of nine per cent.
  • If you don’t do anything about ESG but your market competitors do (you know, like becoming a B Corp), their sales will lift and yours will decline.
  • If you get any bad ESG press, your sales will slump.
  • If you’re in an area that experiences any extreme weather or natural disaster exacerbated by climate change, and your product doesn’t have good ESG, your sales could slump.

So what do you do? You take action on ESG. We think the best way to do this is by becoming B Corp Certified.

Become a B Corp

Are you more convinced that B Corp is right for you? Would you like to join the B Corp companies using business as a force for good? Here at Grow Good, we exist to coach people through the process of becoming B Corp certified.

The B Corp Impact Assessment framework  is free to access and provides dozens of useful insights and opportunities for any business but it can be confusing and overwhelming.

We are consultants who have completed the official training provided by B Lab, the organisation that runs the B Corp certification programme. We live, breathe and sleep B Corp. We are your friendly B Corp buddies. We make it easier. We translate the questions into plain English and give you a host of template policies and example documents so you don’t have to start everything from scratch or reinvent the wheel. We show you how to unlock the big point scoring areas most relevant to your business.

Are you ready to go B Corp? It’s completely your decision but if you are, and if you think it would be helpful to have a guiding hand through the process, we’re here to help. Drop us a line or jump straight in and book a free call here.

Yours in purpose,

Kia kaha,

Tamara

tamara@growgood.co

Bolly’s a B Corp, darling

/in /by

Patsy and Edina’s favourite tipple is now a B Corp, darling.

That’s right Sweetie, Bollinger is the latest bottle of posh bubbly vino to get certified as a B Corp business. Which gives us all cause to utter those immortal words from Ab Fab’s Patsy, ‘crack open the Bolly, darling’. Followed quickly by ‘top up, darling?’ ‘Just a smidge…’

Although, to be fair, Patsy probably wouldn’t care that La Maison Bollinger has formalised its ongoing commitment to its land, its people and its roots. Her only concern would be that they keep making the stuff. 

She doesn’t have anything to worry about there. Now with B Corp certification under its belt, Bollinger has cemented its intention to stay in business by shifting to a model that values planet and people, as much as profit. Champagne Bollinger is the second Champagne business to get its B Corp certification. The achievement sees it join Piper-Heidsieck, Charles Heidsieck and Rare Champagne, all part of EPI Group, as B Corp-certified companies.

So what’s B Corp? It’s essentially a third-party, independent verification of a company’s social and environmental performance. It’s also a global movement that’s working to transform the world’s economy by building a community of businesses that are committed to being a force for good.

What does that look like for La Maison Bollinger? It means formally committing to creating a better future for its employees, for the Earth and for its local ecosystem. More specifically, it means ensuring the wellbeing of its workers, reducing the company’s carbon footprint, preserving vineyard biodiversity, developing a circular economy, and more.

To that we say, cheers, sweetie darling.

 

Become a B Corp

Has Bolly inspired you? Would you like to join the B Corp companies using business as a force for good? Here at Grow Good, we exist to coach people through the process of becoming B Corp certified.

The B Corp Impact Assessment framework  is free to access and provides dozens of useful insights and opportunities for any business but it can be confusing and overwhelming.

We are consultants who have completed the official training provided by B Lab, the organisation that runs the B Corp certification programme. We live, breathe and sleep B Corp. We are your friendly B Corp buddies. We make it easier. We translate the questions into plain English and give you a host of template policies and example documents so you don’t have to start everything from scratch or reinvent the wheel. We show you how to unlock the big point scoring areas most relevant to your business.

Are you ready to go B Corp? It’s completely your decision but if you are, and if you think it would be helpful to have a guiding hand through the process, we’re here to help. Drop us a line or jump straight in and book a free call here – https://bit.ly/BookGGCall

Yours in purpose,

Kia kaha,

Tamara

tamara@growgood.co

First South East Asian B Corp gets S$2m investment

/in /by

Want another example of how the B Corp movement is redefining success in business?

Let’s look to Singapore for a moment, where speciality coffee business, Bettr Group, has just won investment of S$2 million from the Asia Impact First Fund (AIFF) to fund the next stage of its expansion such as growing its roastery, and funding its programmes that help marginalised communities.

Back in 2015, Bettr was the first company in South-east Asia to receive the B Corp certification. It’s still just one of six Singaporean B Corps. In a challenging climate for securing growth investment funding, this announcement shows that sustainability and B Corp certification can give businesses a major advantage. AIFF aims to provide growth capital to 10 to 15 social enterprises across Asia that have been proven to be financially sustainable and profitable. The AIFF fund is backed by impact investment platform Heritas Capital and DBS Foundation.

Founded in 2011, Bettr offers professional beverage education and owns a roastery that also sells coffee supplies. It also currently operates retail coffee bars in two businesses. The new funding round will enable the opening of retail coffee bars in more businesses, as well as fuel a venture into the business-to-consumer space to enhance its brand visibility in Singapore. With this expansion, Bettr will be able to hire more people from marginalised communities. Currently, 26 per cent of Bettr’s 50 employees are from marginalised backgrounds and comprise mostly graduates from its social programmes.

As an impact fund, the AIFF is not only interested in how much money Bettr makes. A key metric of how the fund will measure the impact of its investment in Bettr is to see the number of lives that have benefitted. A metric that aligns with the ethos of the B Corp impact assessment, where more points are awarded for evidence of positive impact. To date, 242 students have benefitted from Bettr’s social programmes, and 248 students have picked up coffee and emotional literacy skills via its early intervention programmes.

Certification as a B Corp is given by non-profit B Lab to for-profit companies that meet its standards of verified social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

Become a B Corp

Here at Grow Good, we exist to coach people through the process of becoming B Corp certified.

The B Corp Impact Assessment framework  is free to access and provides dozens of useful insights and opportunities for any business but it can be confusing and overwhelming.

We are consultants who have completed the official training provided by B Lab, the organisation that runs the B Corp certification programme. We live, breathe and sleep B Corp. We are your friendly B Corp buddies. We make it easier. We translate the questions into plain English and give you a host of template policies and example documents so you don’t have to start everything from scratch or reinvent the wheel. We show you how to unlock the big point scoring areas most relevant to your business.

Are you ready to go B Corp? It’s completely your decision but if you are, and if you think it would be helpful to have a guiding hand through the process, we’re here to help. Drop us a line or jump straight in and book a free call here – https://bit.ly/BookGGCall

Yours in purpose,

Ngā manaakitanga,

Tamara

tamara@growgood.co

 

Five actionable tips for getting B Corp certified

/in /by

Okay, in the name of full transparency, we didn’t come up with the title of this blog. We were, um, ‘inspired’ by a Forbes article with a similar name. However! As full time B Corp consultants here at Grow Good, we’ve got a ton of experience and know-how in the area of getting a business B Corp certified so we are going to add to the conversation started by Forbes.

The five top tips outlined in the Forbes article are:

  1. Put sustainability practises in writing
  2. Use data to demonstrate performance
  3. Decide where to make a meaningful difference
  4. Give the team a voice in the decisions
  5. Don’t approach the application as a tick-box exercise

All excellent points! Perhaps though, in the wrong order. I think there’s a better way to navigate your B Corp journey. Jumping straight into writing documents is gonna break anyone’s spirit so this is why at Grow Good, we would recommend the following five steps.

  1. Get all your team engaged and excited: First, you’ve got to get everyone on the team up to speed and excited. It’s in line with the theory of getting everyone in the boat rowing in the same direction. This is why we start a new client off with what we call a ‘kick off session’, this is an hour’s workshop online or in person for your whole team, where we go through the what, why and how of the whole B Corp movement. By the end of it, everyone on your team understands what B Corp is and why you’re doing it. Most of all, they’re excited about being part of a global movement that’s actively driving transformation to a world where planet and people is valued as much as profit. This team buy-in is priceless and will not only make your certification process easier, it will reap benefits such as higher productivity and better staff retention.
  2. Make a meaningful commitment to stakeholder governance: One of the foundation stones of B Corp certification is the commitment a business makes to considering all stakeholders in business decisions. Whatever foundational document governs your business, be in a constitution or your Articles of Association (documents are different in different countries), update these documents to include the B Lab purpose and stakeholder clauses.
  3. Understand your impact: This one is a little bit like the Forbes’ number 3 ‘Decide where to make a meaningful difference’ but I think it’s better broken down into two points. Understanding your impact is often where a basic materiality assessment comes in. Now, the phrase ‘materiality assessment’ can make the average person feel afraid and confused. Don’t be. It’s just a fancy way of saying ‘what impact does your business have on the world, both positive and negative?’ And every business is unique in that. For example, if you’re a chocolate bar manufacturer in France, your impact priorities might be ensuring you’re sourcing your cacao from farmers that are paid properly and are farming in a way that regenerates the natural world, rather than reduces the habitat of native species. You might also consider your packaging materials. As well, the carbon footprint of your manufacturing and transportation. Obviously, if you’re an accountancy firm in Canada, or a web developer in Thailand, your impact is going to be very different from the chocolate maker.
  4. Lock in your priorities: No business is perfect and no business can tackle everything at once. That would be overwhelming. You may want to clean up the oceans, get to net zero, drive social justice, get all staff on a living wage, boost biodiversity, get rid of all plastics in your products, reduce waste to landfill… and 101 other things but you probably can’t do it all at once. So, once you’ve assessed where your business is having its most impact – and where it can have its most positive impact – what is your team most psyched to set goals on first? And your goals might be phased, eg, ‘reduce carbon emissions by 20 per cent in the next 3 years…’
  5. Measure, monitor, mitigate: You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Once you’ve set your goals, set up the documentation that will enable you to track your performance over time. B Corp certification is all about evidencing the positive impact you’re having. Robust documentation is key. Critical! A deal breaker! I cannot stress enough about your B Corp certification being dependent on your being able to show exactly how you are increasing your positive impact with data. At Grow Good, we give our clients heaps of help with this, from recommending online tracking platforms (eg, Carbontrail, CarbonClick) to providing access to our library of more than 300 policy templates, tracker examples and much more, all designed to make your certification journey that bit easier.

So, that’s about it. If we were to add a sixth point to this list, it would be ‘Hire a B Corp consultant to help you through the process’. Like us. Obviously. It’s your choice, it’s totally up to you, far be it from me… etc etc but we think becoming a B Corp is something every business should do. Imagine the world we could build if that happened. A world where doing business regenerates the environment and drives social justice.

Become a B Corp

Here at Grow Good, we exist to coach people through the process of becoming B Corp certified.

The B Corp Impact Assessment framework  is free to access and provides dozens of useful insights and opportunities for any business but it can be confusing and overwhelming.

We are consultants who have completed the official training provided by B Lab, the organisation that runs the B Corp certification programme. We live, breathe and sleep B Corp. We are your friendly B Corp buddies. We make it easier. We translate the questions into plain English and give you a host of template policies and example documents so you don’t have to start everything from scratch or reinvent the wheel. We show you how to unlock the big point scoring areas most relevant to your business.

Are you ready to go B Corp? It’s completely your decision but if you are, and if you think it would be helpful to have a guiding hand through the process, we’re here to help. Drop us a line or jump straight in and book a free 30 min discovery call with me.

Yours in purpose,

Ngā manaakitanga,

Tamara

tamara@growgood.co

 

Why aren’t humans urgently addressing the climate crisis? We ask ChattyG

/in /by

This post is the follow up to last week’s called Can AI Solve The Climate Crisis? We Ask ChattyG. Because it turns out that ChattyG (aka ChatGPT or AI) has an excellent plan for reversing the climate emergency that is now threatening to bring about the extinction of all life on Earth. I mean, isn’t […]

Can AI solve the climate crisis? We ask ChattyG

/in /by

You can’t blink at the moment without someone assailing you with all the ways in which AI is going to ‘change everything’, ‘transform that’ or ‘revolutionise this’ or ‘steal your job’ or ‘take over the world’, ‘wipe out humanity*’… that kind of thing.

(*like we need any help with that)

We’re being led to believe that AI can do everything better and quicker than us humans. From taking two seconds to provide a recipe for tofu brownies (surprisingly delicious), to creating a marketing strategy for an old dogs’ retirement home, to writing a touching love song about squirrels (you can read the squirrel love song at the end of this blog), ChatGPT, aka ChattyG, is endlessly knowledgeable.

So since humans are so profoundly screwing up the whole reversing global warming and creating equal societies thing, I wondered if ChattyG could solve the climate crisis for us? Chatty was a little reticent at first but then in nanoseconds rattled off a solution (spoiler alert, it’s a lot like B Corp), here’s what Chatty says:

“The climate crisis requires a multifaceted approach involving governments, industries, scientists, and individuals working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, protect and restore ecosystems, and develop sustainable practices. Some key actions that can help address the climate crisis include:

  1. Transition to Renewable Energy: Moving away from fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower can significantly reduce carbon emissions.
  2. Energy Efficiency: Improving energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industries can lead to reduced energy consumption and emissions.
  3. Reforestation and Conservation: Protecting and restoring forests and other ecosystems can help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and preserve biodiversity.
  4. Promote Sustainable Agriculture: Implementing sustainable agricultural practices can reduce emissions from livestock and land use changes.
  5. Carbon Pricing: Implementing carbon pricing mechanisms, such as carbon taxes or cap-and-trade systems, can provide economic incentives for reducing emissions.
  6. Technological Innovation: Investing in research and development of clean technologies, carbon capture and storage, and sustainable transportation solutions can contribute to mitigating climate change.
  7. International Cooperation: Global collaboration is essential to address the climate crisis, as climate change is a cross-border issue that requires coordinated efforts.
  8. Education and Advocacy: Raising awareness about climate change and advocating for policy changes can drive public and political support for effective solutions.
  9. Reducing Consumer Waste: Minimizing waste and adopting sustainable consumption practices can reduce the environmental impact of production and disposal.
  10. Adaptation Strategies: Developing strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events, is crucial for minimizing damage and ensuring resilience.

“Remember that addressing the climate crisis requires a collective effort, and solutions will vary based on regional contexts, socio-economic factors, and technological advancements. It’s important for individuals, communities, businesses, and governments to work together to make meaningful progress towards a sustainable future.”

Yep, couldn’t agree more on that last sentence, Chatty, it’s what the B Corp movement is all about.

Is it just me or does all that seem eminently sensible and straightforward? Those 10 actions are all we have to do and, bada boom, no climate crisis! No millions of climate refugees, no billions of animals, birds and insects dying from wildfires, floods, starvation or pollution, no unspeakable suffering. Easy peasy! It seems like a no brainer. I wonder why we aren’t just cracking on with it? I wonder if our politicians know about this list? Has anybody told them? I’ll drop an email to parliament…

Turns out, we know exactly how to get ourselves out of this mess, we’re just not taking the appropriate actions quickly and thoroughly enough. Why ever not? I guess that will be my next question for ChattyG, ‘why aren’t humans acting quickly enough to solve the climate crisis?’

Stay tuned for that post but in the meantime, here’s the squirrel love song (probably not gonna storm the charts, sorry ChattyG…)

 

 

(Verse 1) In a world of leaves and branches, where the trees stand tall, There’s a love story unfolding, a tale to enthrall. Two squirrels in the forest, their hearts in a whirl, In the dappled sunlight, they’re our squirrel lovebirds.

(Chorus) Oh, it’s a squirrel’s delight, under the moonlight, In this treetop romance, they’re taking flight. With their fluffy tails entwined, in the softest pines, This love story of squirrels, it forever shines.

(Verse 2) Through the canopy they chase, so nimble and spry, In their eyes, there’s a sparkle, a twinkle, a sigh. They gather acorns and dreams, under the azure sky, In this squirrel’s haven, love’s soaring high.

(Chorus) Oh, it’s a squirrel’s delight, under the moonlight, In this treetop romance, they’re taking flight. With their fluffy tails entwined, in the softest pines, This love story of squirrels, it forever shines.

(Bridge) They build a nest of dreams, where love’s song is heard, Among the rustling leaves, their hearts take flight like a bird. In each other’s embrace, they find their sweet reprieve, In this squirrel love song, they truly believe.

(Verse 3) Through all seasons they dance, in autumn’s golden hue, In winter’s cozy embrace, their love stays true. In spring, they find blossoms, in summer, the shade, This squirrel’s love story, in every way, is well-played.

(Chorus) Oh, it’s a squirrel’s delight, under the moonlight, In this treetop romance, they’re taking flight. With their fluffy tails entwined, in the softest pines, This love story of squirrels, it forever shines.

(Outro) So let’s raise a toast, to our squirrel friends above, In the heart of the forest, they’ve found a lasting love. In this woodland serenade, let’s all be inspired, By the love story of squirrels, forever admired.

Why Kiwis buy sustainable products and services… and why they don’t

/in /by

What’s driving the Kiwi consumer to buy sustainable products and services? And what are the barriers to purchasing?

This was a big focus in the latest NZ State of the Nation consumer outlook report Q2 2023 by NeilsenIQ. The report considers sustainability a key market trend as the impacts and costs of climate change are increasingly felt across society.

For sustainable brands and B Corps, there are some interesting insights to glean, so we’ve summarised a few points here.

First up, 76% of Kiwis surveyed believe climate change and sustainability are linked and 54% of these people say that sustainability has become more important in the last two years.

Why do Kiwis believe sustainability has become more important? According to this report, it’s because 69% say they see the impact of climate change in the news regularly.

As well,

  • 57% say that leaving a liveable world behind for future generations has become more important.
  • 52% believe products and services have become more expensive because of extreme climate events.
  • 41% are noticing more pollution and waste in their surroundings.
  • 36% feel their personal health and safety could be impacted by climate change.
  • 48% feel more informed about climate change and sustainability.

Business has to step up

Another telling figure is that 64% of people believe it is very important for companies to take the initiative to reduce their environmental footprint. In the same vein, it’s sustainable packaging claims that most resonate with consumers (aka ‘people’).

The study found that people are more likely to buy sustainable if it had a benefit for their health or the planet. As well, more than 70% of people would most likely stop purchasing a brand that was found guilty of greenwashing. Let that sink in. More than 70% of people would most likely stop purchasing a brand that was found guilty of greenwashing.

What were the barriers to people living a more sustainable life? Three things: cost, limited choice, and confusing messaging.

So, if a sustainable product was seen as too expensive, 56% of those surveyed would not buy it. How do you address this if you’re a sustainable brand that costs more than cheaper, unsustainable alternatives? Justify and explain why it costs more. As well, be clear with your messaging and information because 28% of people say they don’t buy sustainable products because the messaging isn’t clear.

So how to move forward as a sustainable brand?

This survey suggests several actions:

  • Ensure your range offers value to help ease the on-going pressures consumers are feeling; optimise your pricing and promo strategies.
  • Be the consumers’ choice by offering a unique experience and/or value proportion – in other words, prove your worth against the competition.
  • Resonate with the consumer using clear messaging on what is sustainable about your product and how it benefits them.

Sustainability is a key future theme

Sustainability is here to stay as a key market trend. This is only going to grow. Why?

The impacts and costs of climate change are being felt across society.

From 1980 to 1999, there were 3656 climate related disasters that cost $1.63 trillion to address. From 2000 to 2019, these figures almost doubled, with 6682 climate-related disasters costing almost $3 trillion to address.

Governance and cost will accelerate this shift beyond consumer demand.

There are 3 key forces driving business to change

  1. Role of governance and mandates: Financial reporting requirements, sustainable investments, fines and taxes, new legislations.
  2. Exploding costs due to the impact of climate change: Rising energy prices, rising cost of goods, supply chain disruption.
  3. Escalating consumer demand: Cost of living stress, personal impact, availability of choice, shifting values and attitudes.

Around the world, countries are at very different stages of sustainable progress. Some markets have fallen back to carbon intensive habits to recharge economies while other have ramped up investment in renewable energy. Top five green leaders are Iceland, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. While the bottom five are Bangladesh, Qatar, Zambia, Algeria, and Iran.

New Zealand sits just below the middle of the spectrum, dragging the chain a little, which relegates the nation to the ‘climate laggards’ section.

We need to lift our game in a big way. We can’t wait for government to act (but we still need to push them on that). The business sector has the resources, initiative and creativity to find solutions to the world’s biggest problems. Let’s get on with it.

One route is by becoming a B Corp business.

Become a B Corp

Here at Grow Good, we exist to coach people through the process of becoming B Corp certified.

The B Corp Impact Assessment framework  is free to access and provides dozens of useful insights and opportunities for any business but it can be confusing and overwhelming.

We are consultants who have completed the official training provided by B Lab, the organisation that runs the B Corp certification programme. We live, breathe and sleep B Corp. We are your B Corp buddies. We make it easier. We translate the questions into plain English and give you a host of template policies and example documents so you don’t have to start everything from scratch or reinvent the wheel. We show you how to unlock the big point scoring areas most relevant to your business.

Are you ready to go B Corp? It’s completely your decision but if you are, and if you think it would be helpful to have a guiding hand through the process, we’re here to help. Drop us a line or jump straight in and book a free 30 min discovery call with me.

Yours in purpose,

Ngā manaakitanga,

Tamara

tamara@growgood.co

 

Are you Ready to B Better?

Ready to take the plunge towards becoming a B Corp business? Let the Grow Good team guide you through the process either through 1:1 coaching or group coaching on one of our regular cohort programmes for micro businesses. Book a 30-min discovery call with Tamara here.

You can use your Business as a Force for Good.

Just get started. Take the first step. Get in touch

About Grow Good

We are one of the world’s leading and most experienced B Corp Consultancies.  Our founder was the first qualified B Corporation consultant in the country.

Terms & Condition  |  Privacy Policy

Contact Us

P.O Box 37366
Halswell
Christchurch 8245

Phone: + 64 21 288 2363
Email: tim@growgood.co 

Subscribe to our Newsletter