What better way to celebrate B Corp month, and this year's theme of #GenerationB, than coming together and supporting collective action? Last week we hosted industry leaders from the built environment at Modus for a panel discussion and networking breakfast to gather the industry’s leading voices in sustainability as well as individuals who were interested in becoming part of the B Corp movement.

Over the course of the discussion, we chatted about the new draft standard, due to be released later this year and how B Corp has challenged us to create positive, lasting change within our businesses.

There is no doubt that there is still a lot of work to be done, but that is why we chose to become part of the B Corp movement - we wanted to challenge ourselves as an organisation to 'use business as a force for good'.

It is no secret that in recent years there has been controversy surrounding B Corp, and the types of businesses that have achieved the certification. Our panellists did not shy away from answering these tough questions concluding that B Corp certification makes businesses accountable to a third-party standard, offering a framework of best practice. We have been excited to read the ambitious new standards which will create even greater transparency and require very specific evidence with no place for businesses to hide, building trust and maintaining the credibility of the B Corp Certification.

Read on below for our highlights from each of the speakers last week.

As a UK furniture manufacturer, we are proud to be going beyond business as usual and being part of the B Corp movement, driving meaningful change within the built environment industry.

Duncan Morris, Head of Sustainability, Fourfront Group, on why we should bother with the added pressure of being a B Corp:

"B Corp is the only business certification for me that takes you on an entire journey. It is a badge of honour, and whilst there is no getting away from that, it is a hard badge to get. It is not a tick box exercise, and if you feel that way, you lose the point of the certification. Certifying needs involvement from top to bottom – from the board all the way down. At Fourfront Group, everyone is involved and have all had a part to play in gaining the B Corp status.

It empowers individuals to have that voice in the business, and I am proud of the way our business approached that. It has given a voice to people to talk about sustainability, think creatively, develop and push forward, which is rewarding for them.

We know that we need to act, and we need to act quicker than we are doing. We need to act now."

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Laura Cassullo, Regional Director, Stride Treglown, on welcoming the update of the new standards:

‘Change is the most positive thing about being part of the B Corp movement. Continuous improvement has been one of the things that has kept us going. It is about being accountable for our own actions, so we welcome the new standards, and they are going in the right direction. It will move us further towards a larger community that is creating positive impact.

And yes, this sounds a bit utopic, but we will be able to tangibly demonstrate how the standards are having an impact on our workplace culture, our impact on the climate as a business.

B Corp gives you a framework that underpins what you do as a business, giving you that backbone to work from.’

Deepak Parmar, Design Director and B Corp Lead, MCM, on why it is no longer business as usual:

‘The built environment is responsible for 40% of global emissions. As designers and architects, we have a huge responsibility to change the way we operate. I have the ‘Why Bother?’ conversation many times with a lot of different people, and for me it is about enforcing external accountability. As a business, profit tends to be always first but when times are tough, external accountability through a certification like B Corp will keep businesses ethically engaged and accountable for their actions.

Having this extra layer of B Corp means we need to continue improving, and we cannot rest on our laurels and have people assume we are doing the right thing.

The reality is that most businesses have more power than governments these days. So, it is important from a consumer perspective that they can see where they are spending their money and can make the right decision.’

Phil Towle, Associate Director, Head of Sustainability & Supply Chain, The Furniture Practice addresses why becoming a B Corp enforces structural change within their business:

‘Before we became B Corp, The Furniture Practice was full of individuals trying to do the right thing and they were great, even if it was big or small initiatives. There was a drive to do the right thing and what B Corp gave us was the overall strategy and structure.

It brings the whole business together on that journey and makes sure that the actions were impactful. Instead of the right thing being several small actions that flew under the radar with people spending a lot of time with them, we could address the whole business and get people spending time, while making a significant impact.

I think if we are waiting for legislation and governments to change and act, we will be waiting a long time. When people join TFP, it is their duty to collaborate with us and come on this journey of being a B Corp, caring about the movement and collective action.’

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Lucy Arndt, Head of Sustainability, Dodds & Shute on countering the criticism against the B Corp certification.

‘The vast majority of B Corps genuinely want to make a difference and are on a journey. As a company, you must change your governance structure to be part of B Corp and achieve the certification. You must set up your company not just for your shareholders, but for all your stakeholders – employees, customers, the environment, and the community as well.

Governance within the current standard, is the biggest point earning section in the whole assessment. You cannot become a B Corp without this section, and this shows how the movement is generating a fundamental shift. Businesses who achieve certification are set up not just for profit, but to do good.

Dodds & Shute used the B Corp impact assessment early on to make changes within the business, but we waited a few years before we went ahead and got certified. We wanted to grow and become the best company we could be. But who are we to say what the best is? We wanted to have an external framework that we could go, all right, this is what best practice is.’

Shreya Nambiar, Sustainability Manager at Oktra, describes the importance of collective action:

‘Now is the time to show up and demonstrate that you are continuing with your mission and your values. It is disappointing to see diversity and inclusion policies being removed from global organisations values, so for us and other B Corps, it is important to say ‘no, we do not subscribe to that. We are remaining true to our values and mission.’

Mobilise the team, mobilise your entire organisation towards B Corp, and that is the call to action versus it being just a certification and tick box.

It is not the easiest thing in the world to get certified, but, if everyone believes in the mission, the B Impact Assessment is structured in a way to make it a call to action, and the stamp of approval is the icing on the cake.’

Thanks to our sponsors for keeping our guests refreshed throughout the morning.

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