Businesses are being urged to find out more about becoming a certified B Corporation.
Businesses are being urged to find out more about becoming a certified B Corporation after research showed over 80% of Yorkshire consumers believe that being sustainable is key for the region’s companies.
A total of 82% of Yorkshire consumers think it is either ‘somewhat important’ or ‘very important’ for Yorkshire brands to be sustainable in their business practices with 36% saying that sustainability and social responsibility is a bigger factor in their buying decisions than it was two years ago. Backing that up, 35% of Yorkshire consumers have switched brands to buy ones that were more sustainable and socially responsible and 43% say they would be more likely to buy goods and services from companies with B Corporation certification. The findings - from a survey of 500 Yorkshire residents conducted by market research company OnePoll – have been revealed in the lead-up to an event designed to help more Yorkshire businesses become B Corporations. Certified B Corporations, or ‘B Corps’, are companies verified by independent non-profit assessor B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
Katie’s company, Loft & Daughter, is now a Certified B Corporation. To become a certified B Corporation, a company has its entire social and environmental footprint measured and it is then evaluated how the company’s business operations impact colleagues, community, environment and customers in pursuit of sustainable growth. Yorkshire companies are being invited to hear more about becoming a B Corp at an online event on March 20. ‘B Curious’ has been organised by the Yorkshire B Local group and will give companies of all kinds an insight into the B Corp certification process, the misconceptions, benefits and how to drive your business as a force for good.
Speakers at the event will include representatives from Yorkshire businesses who are already B Corps, including Full Circle Funerals, Headway Recruitment, Harrogate Spring Water, High Speed Training and Webmart. B Lab UK’s Head of Growth, Annie Olivier, will be the keynote speaker at the event and said the survey results underlined the importance of companies taking their social, environmental and governance obligations seriously – and how becoming a B Corp could help businesses grow. She said:
“There is clearly a real appetite for B Corp values among Yorkshire consumers and we’ve seen first-hand in other parts of the country that the more people find out about the B-Corp movement, the more they will seek out certified companies to provide their goods and services. "People want to buy from and work for companies that are making a positive difference. But with so many businesses claiming to be socially and environmentally aware, it's hard to know who or what to believe. “The fact that B Corp gives external verification across the whole of a company's operations builds credibility and trust. And on top of that, B Corp is so much more than a certification, it is a community and a movement. “In Yorkshire, there is a real community being built up amongst the region’s registered B Corps and I’m sure that this will shine through at the event on March 20, where we hope to see many more companies join us and find out more about the many advantages of becoming a B Corp.”
Malton-based jewellery and clothing brand Loft & Daughter became a registered B Corp last year. The company works with artisanal communities across India to co-create pieces which are sold to consumers via the loftanddaughter.com website. Founder Katie Sheehan started the business in 2019 after her career as a fast-fashion buyer wanting to, in her words “right the wrongs of the industry I left behind”. Katie explained:
“I wanted to make Loft & Daughter a B Corp from the beginning, but as a one-woman start up, I was already overwhelmed with getting my brand off the ground. “As each new year rolled round, ‘finish my B Corp application’ was always on my to-do list. I started tinkering with it back in 2021, and then finally dove into properly in May 2022 under the guidance of a B Corp consultant. “It’s been a long, daunting process, but it has forced me to look at my brand with critical eye, keeping me accountable and highlighting areas where I need to improve. “It has also cemented the fact that Loft & Daughter is, at its core, a social impact brand on a mission to give back. “I am so proud to finally join the incredible B Corp movement and to be part of the fantastic Yorkshire B Local community. I would really recommend other businesses to come and join us and to find out more about B Corps at the event on March 20.”
B Curious? What it means to be a B Corp and how to drive business for good takes place online from 9am to 10.30am on Wednesday 20th March. Attendance is free and businesses can sign up at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/b-curious-what-it-means-to-be-a-b-corp-and-how-to-drive-business-for-good-tickets-846954542837.
