Are you B Corp curious?

Amidst the ups and the downs, and a thorough social and environmental deep dive into our ethical design practice, Driftime® have been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement.

The B Corp certification takes into account the full scope of business operations, investigating five key impact areas including the practice of governance, the wellbeing of workers, how community is considered, what our environmental impact looks like, and the way we interact with our clients and collaborators. The unique scoring system requires a benchmark score of over 80, calling for a robust showcase of evidence of our socially and environmentally responsible practises relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency.

As we pass the B Corp baton on to our community of planet and purpose focused businesses, we reflect on the most valuable pieces of advice offered to us in our journey, and the gems we’ve uncovered along the way. Below are a few handy tips and tricks for a smooth sailing B Corp application:

• Start by going through the process to understand where you sit with your business. Take notes along the way, and start to create a to-do list of actions and things to plan for.
• Formalise your policies, taking the steps to organise your practice around the B Corp criteria, and writing up your policies in a clear and transparent way.
• Define your processes, understanding how you approach your work, measurement, and the idea of long-term impact in relation to your business.
• Documenting your process and how you measure impact, detailing where you’ve met targets, or in turn fallen short. Recognising where you need support and guidance is a key part of professional honesty, and a central part to progression in and out of the B Corp framework.
• Put together a thorough employee handbook, outlining how you onboard, policies in relation to staff, and how you support your workers.
• Gather evidence early, and put together an in-depth folder with clear links to all relevant information. If you say ‘yes we do this’ to anything in the process – show evidence. Leave no stone unturned, and include everything from pro bono hours worked and donations sent, to an audit of suppliers and a breakdown of your energy usage.
• Write about your advocacy through thought leadership. Compile articles written about the nature of our business, share your perspective and invite others to contribute to the conversation. In documenting your outlook and frame of reference, you can develop expertise and have a history to hand of editorial supporting your mission.
• Cover the basics: tracking your energy use, document your process and impact, and take action on the feedback received from clients, colleagues, and collaborators.

By going through the process and gaining accreditation, you can look forward to being part of a thriving community of 4,200 businesses globally who have certified as B Corps (more than 700 in the UK at the time of writing), representing a broad cross section of industries and sizes. You’ll recognise many well-known creative brands, businesses, and agencies in their directory including Wholegrain Digital (opens in a new window), Yoyo Design (opens in a new window), Studio Republic (opens in a new window), Nice and Serious (opens in a new window), and The Plant (opens in a new window) amongst others. We’re over the moon to be included in such good company, and want to share what we’ve learnt along the way with the B Corp curious community.

If you’re thinking about becoming a B Corp, or want to know more about our journey, we encourage you to reach out and continue the conversation. For more information about who we are and what we do, get in touch!

If you’re thinking about becoming a B Corp, or want to know more about our journey, we encourage you to reach out and continue the conversation. For more information about who we are and what we do, get in touch!