If you're not a B Corp business (yet), you can still get in on the act. Nowadays, customers and employees are interested in your supply chain and who you do business with, not just your products and services. For a start, we recommend partnering with B2B B Corps. We've picked five brilliant B Corps in the UK that will help you grow your business, sustainably, while doing your bit for the world.
Here’s just one – rather important – reason why that matters:
It’s official: Generation Z are changing the way that business is done. This is because, according to a 2018 survey conducted by BBMG and GlobeScan, ‘Gen Z does not trust business to act in the best interests of society’. It’s unsurprising news. They’re feeling the impact of a global climate crisis and the widening gap between rich and poor. How could younger people coming into the workforce be anything but mistrustful of the powers that have come before?
A 2018 study by McKinsey found that Gen Z is defined by a ‘search for truth’ and this motivates their behaviour. These are the Greta Thunbergs, the Autumn Peltiers, the Ridhima Pandeys. They are committed to speaking truth to power and doing the right thing. They want to work with businesses that are a force for good. They want to work with B Corp businesses.
These are just a few B2B B Corps that you could be working with, today:
Red Inc is the UK's first B Corp-certified office supplies company. They are bursting with ethical goodness, from recycling schemes through to being 100 percent carbon neutral. This business is not only planting trees and saving acres of forest, but they are making pretty fine stationery too!
For two decades, Climate Care has been offering programmes to help organisations offset their residual carbon emissions. They offer companies (like Articulate Marketing) a means of purchasing 'carbon credits' to work towards net neutral. For the second year in a row, Climate Care are B-Corp honourees and have been recognised as a B Corp' Best for the World' and 'Best for Customers'.
Here at Articulate, we are marketing specialists committed to high levels of partnership and transparency. We are not only great people to work with, but our employees think we've made a pretty special place to work, too. This year, we were super proud to be B Corp honourees and to be recognised in not just one, but two categories: 'Best for the World - Governance' and 'Best for the World - Workers'.
Havas is the first major ad agency to gain B Corp status. They have invested in a range of community projects to get young people into the creative industries. Havas is also committed to equality and diversity, with 57 percent of the agency's management team comprised of either women or individuals from underrepresented groups.
Another first is Bates Wells, the first UK B Corp certified law firm. Like Articulate Marketing, they were 2019 Honourees in the 'Best for the World - Governance' category. This means you can have confidence that their structure, organisation and governance reflect their commitment to being a force for good.
Grown-up businesses must follow the example of our young people. Work alongside some of those blazing trails in ethical practice and, heck, you could even start your journey to becoming a B Corp. Yes, you can do better business.