B Corp insights

Coming up to the third anniversary of EMW certifying as a B Corp, we have started turning our attention to the required recertification process. Inevitably, that has involved some reflection – why we did it, what it means to us, and why we are doing it again.

Let’s Rewind

Awareness of the B Corp movement seems to have grown exponentially in recent years, but some people still find it difficult to pin down, beyond it being a global certification standard that assesses an applicant’s “responsible business” credentials.

Underneath all the detail, the assessment is trying to answer one deceptively simple question – are you building a business that creates value or one that simply extracts it?

And value here doesn’t just mean shareholder returns. It means value for everyone connected with the business – its employees, suppliers, customers, community and the environment.

Why we did it

B Corp just resonated. It felt like us. Instinctively, we believed we were a values driven business. We talked about doing the right thing and treating people fairly. We were proud of our culture.

But here’s the thing – a business’s culture isn’t what its leadership thinks it is. It is the sum of how people experience it, both internally and externally. And that experience is shaped by what we consistently do – not what we say, believe or aspire to be.

It’s really easy to believe you are principled when no one is testing you. It’s really easy to say you are aligned with your values when you are the one defining them.

We wanted to be tested. We wanted to know “is this really us or are we on some level hiding behind the story we tell ourselves?”

That’s why we did it.

What we learned about ourselves

B Corp forced us to take things that were intangible – our culture, our brand, our narrative – and turn them into something tangible.

It moved us from saying “this is who we think we are” to “this is who we are” and that matters. It matters when you’re hiring. It matters when you’re pitching for work. It really matters when you’re facing difficult commercial decisions and need something firmer than opinion to guide you.

What you should know before you start

If you are considering certification for the first time, here are some things I would consider.

It’s not light touch

Certification is a detailed and evidence heavy process. It forces you to formalise things you may have been doing informally for years — particularly if you’re an SME where processes tend to evolve more organically.

From first conversation to certification, it took us around 18 months and there were moments – quite a few of them – when I questioned whether it was worth it.

However, for me that friction was part of the point. If it had been easy, it wouldn’t have meant that much. If it had been impossible, we wouldn’t have been ready. The difficulty was certainly frustrating and challenging, but it was also a signal that it really mattered.

The bar is rising

We certified under the B Corp Version 6 standards. We’re now recertifying under Version 7 and it’s tougher.

The biggest shift seems to be the move away from demonstrating that you have policies that support your B Corp status to demonstrating that those policies are operationally embedded in your business. In other words, don’t just show us the document, show us the behaviour.

That’s a significant development. This isn’t meant to be a badge you collect. It’s meant to be a discipline you live.

Recertification under Version 7 isn’t guaranteed. The bar has been raised and we have to accept the possibility that we may not get over the line this time. That’s uncomfortable to handle, but also exactly as it should be. A standard only has value if it can’t be assumed.

It’s not for everyone

If you’re pursuing certification because you want the badge or you think new business will suddenly flood through the doors, I’d think very carefully.

The process demands time, leadership attention, adept project management and real engagement across the business. You have to win hearts and minds internally and you have to persuade people this isn’t just another compliance exercise. If you don’t genuinely believe it reflects who you are as a business – or who you want to become – perhaps it isn’t for you.

Here we go again

So, we are doing it again. Not because it’s easy (it isn’t). Not because it transformed our business overnight (it didn’t). We’re doing it because:

• it creates accountability – we’re no longer marking our own homework;
• it anchors us to standards we didn’t write ourselves but that we wholeheartedly believe in; and
• it aligns who we are with who we say we are, which in turn gives our brand, culture and narrative much clearer definition.

Ultimately, that’s what this is all about. B Corp isn’t really about certification, it’s about identity. What kind of business are you building?

If that resonates with you, then the process may well be worth it. In our experience, the business that emerges on the other side is clearer and stronger than the one that began.

That’s why we are doing it again.