Getting B Corp Certified means we’re in this together

2021 was a year of uncertainties for most of us, and at times we didn’t know how to dredge forward, unsure of what the future would look like. What we can acknowledge and honour, however,  is our collective strength and perseverance as we pushed ourselves forward. 

The pandemic taught us many things about ourselves, but something we learned as business owners is that we do better when we work together. As Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.

You don’t want to be on the wrong side of history

The world of business is changing,  challenging the old ways of prioritising profits while getting more creative in production, manufacturing, and distribution channels. We’ve seen that businesses can reverse their impact on the planet, just look at Ray Anderson. As the founder of Interface, the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet, he rewrote the policy book for his company and placed a heavy emphasis on sustainability. He’s no greenwasher, his company talks the talk as you can see from the Interface website. 

For the team at Decade Impact, we’ve had the opportunity during 2021 to support companies as they achieved the incredible feat of getting B Corp certified. We witnessed a range of creative and unique solutions as these thought leaders adapted their policies to promote sustainability within their businesses.

Here's a small list of businesses we were lucky enough to work with through their B Corp certification journey.

Proponents of Positive Impact

Wild + Pine: B Corp Certified July 2021

If you’ve been hanging around our LinkedIn, you’ve probably heard us talk about Wild + Pine. We’ve been able to partner on their Forest B project, which we highly encourage others to do too!

This Alberta based company is focused on developing net-zero carbon capture projects through the restoration of Canada’s forests. They empower businesses to redefine sustainability by investing in projects that focus on regenerating habitats for native plant and animal species to support a thriving and resilient ecosystem. 

We encourage you to check out what projects they currently have in Canada and how you too can take part.

Rainbo: B Corp Certified Dec 2021

Rainbo is a medicinal mushrooms-based line of supplements and functional foods. They are on a mission to educate the world on the healing power of mushrooms. This female lead company is on the journey to spreading the medicinal benefits of fungi and their place as environmental stewards for the health of the planet.

They have a number of products to choose from, check out their website to find out more. 

Untold Storytelling: B Corp Certified Dec 2021

This production company supports conscious companies, thoughtful brands, and ambitious non-profits through a distinct approach to finding and telling impactful stories through film and video production. 

Wanting to extend their community efforts, this company created the Untold Story Fund to support diverse voices and perspectives in the hope that we can create opportunities for emerging filmmakers and storytellers. Each year they financially support one to two projects, provide pro bono support and a full film production equipment kit. 

Check out their website to see examples of work they have done.

Smith Assembly: B Corp Certified Dec 2021

This Vancouver, BC-based company emphasizes the importance of relationships and connections. They believe that to foster feelings of connection, inspiration and engagement within your workplace it is important to foster strong relationships and connections within the people of the company. Smith Assembly helps organizations weave the art of inclusive design within the fabric of their companies practices to create more impactful products and services. 

Smith Assembly is focused on creating a positive impact socially and environmentally by participating in 1% for the planet, as well as donating 5% of their own revenue every year to nonprofits that amplify the positive impact their global innovators have in their communities. 

They are committed to supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG’s) through policies they enact using metrics they measure against aligned with B Lab’s SDG Action Manager. Below is the UNSDG’s they are focused on;

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities 

Goal 13: Climate Action

Sensory Friendly Solutions: B Corp Certified Dec 2021

A company created and rooted in helping people, businesses and organizations discover sensory-friendly solutions. One of their core values is to empower their community with knowledge, skills and products that emphasize accessibility and inclusiveness.

This Vancouver based company also uses the framework of the UNSDG’s to guide their practices in providing products and services to their customers. 

Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing

Goal 4: Quality Education

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. 

They have been a key component of a number of projects globally. Check out their website to find out how they have helped businesses and communities to become more inclusive and sensory-friendly.

Whale Seeker: B Corp Certified 2021

This Montreal-based start-up leverages AI to simplify whale monitoring. Whale Seeker created a tool that detects whales fast, easily, accurately and as affordably as possible. This company believes that humans and whales can coexist, with the help of technology they are able to monitor whales' movement.

Whale seeker believes in the importance of accountability by aligning their practices with UNSDG’s, and the Montreal Declaration for responsible development of Artificial Intelligence.

The United Nation’s believe in promoting prosperity to protect the planet, and require them to set objectives and measurements based on the UNSDG’s.

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Goal 13: Climate Action

Goal 14: Life Below Water

Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Our hope is that sharing the achievements of these incredible companies will inspire you to take your own journey towards B Corp. You too can be a visionary, an innovator, a natural leader and a future face in the impact space.

So what’s the next step to becoming a champion of positive impact?

As you may know, you’ll need a minimum score of 80 points to achieve B Corp certification. For many, if not most, companies this is a big challenge. 

So we created a B Corp Preparation Checklist,  based on the assessment, to guide your organization and help you identify where your company’s strengths lie and which areas need more work.

While the idea of getting B Corp Certified may feel like hiking a mountain, the best way to work towards this goal is one step at a time - and Decade Impact is here as your experienced guides to help you along that path. 

Ready to start your journey to B Corp? Let’s talk about your future.