What Is A B-Corp, And Why Is It Important?
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Whether you’re just beginning to dabble in ethical business practices or you’ve been supporting sustainable businesses for years, you may have heard the term B-Corp used to describe certain types of businesses. Despite their growing popularity in recent years, B-Corps are still relatively rare in many industries and carry a significant level of clout in the sustainable business community.
As a certified B-Corp ourselves, we believe in the value of this prestigious certification and how quantifying and evaluating sustainable business practices is better for all of us as a society. At African Bronze Honey, we’re proud of the efforts we have made to maintain our B-Corp certification since 2014 and we’re committed to continuously improving our efforts to use business as a force for good!
Keep reading below to learn more about what a B-Corp is and why we think you should choose to invest your hard-earned dollars into companies who do better.
What Is A B-Corp?
A B-Corp is a business that has committed to meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. These businesses, like African Bronze Honey, have made considerable efforts to prioritize people and the planet in addition to profits. You’ll find B Corps across many different types of industries throughout the world, from food companies (like us) to lawyers and banks to newspapers to shoe companies!.
To become certified as a B-Corp, companies must first pass an audit and performance review by a third-party organization called B Lab. B Lab is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2006 with the mission of promoting social and environmental responsibility in the business world. B Lab developed a comprehensive assessment process called the B Impact Assessment, which evaluates a company’s social and environmental impact across a range of criteria, including governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.
To become certified as a B Corp, a company must complete the B Impact Assessment and score a minimum of 80 out of 200 points. Once a company has been certified B-Corp, it must re-certify every three years to ensure that they continue to meet the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. This ensures companies are maintaining a high level of sustainability and are putting considerable effort into continuous improvement and implementation of environmentally responsible business practices.
How Are B-Corps Changing Business For The Better?
In global business, B-Corp is well regarded as the universal gold standard in ethical, environmentally responsible business practices. But how can you, the consumer, make a difference? By putting their money to work and supporting B-Corp businesses, consumers are able to make an impact and support global companies dedicated to making the world a better place.
Here are just a few ways that B-Corps around the world are changing business for the better:
B-Corps prioritize sustainability
As part of their ongoing commitment to sustainability, B Corps are focused on doing business using processes that minimize their environmental impact or actually improve the environment. The goal of any B-Corp is to reduce waste, conserve energy, and use sustainable materials while ensuring their supply chain and overall operations are ethical and environmentally friendly. By supporting B Corps, consumers are rewarding these types of best practices (which are often more expensive!) and are contributing to a more sustainable future.
At African Bronze Honey, our honey is certified by EcoCert and certified organic, so you can rest easy knowing our honey has no pesticides, no chemicals - just pure, high-quality, ethically sourced honey.
B-Corps prioritize social responsibility
As part of the comprehensive B-Corps review process, companies must demonstrate their commitment to not only the environment but also to people. The B Impact Assessment evaluates how a company operates as a whole and how it creates a positive impact on its employees, customers, and communities.
Some examples of ethical B-Corp-worthy practices might include offering fair, livable wages, health benefits, and paid time off to their employees. B-Corps may also implement a Corporate Social Responsibility mandate and donate a portion of their profits to social causes or partner with local organizations to address community needs.
At African Bronze Honey, our wild forest honey is harvested using regenerative practices by more than 10,000 beekeepers in Zambia and Tanzania, providing sustainable livelihoods for entire communities of beekeepers and their families. By supporting B Corps like African Bronze Honey, you are helping to build a more equitable society.
B-Corps prioritize transparency and accountability
B Corps are held to high standards of transparency and accountability in all areas of their business, finances and operations. As part of the B Impact assessment process, hopeful B-Corps are required to undergo a rigorous assessment process that evaluates their impact on workers, customers, stakeholder communities, and the environment. These assessments are made publicly available and provide a commitment to ongoing improvements to the ethical and sustainable standards of B Lab.
At African Bronze Honey, one way we practise transparency is by backing up our claims with research and data. For example, we are currently doing a second round of laboratory research to verify earlier findings that show that our honey has up to 8 times more antioxidants than honey you find on grocery store shelves, and 2 times the antioxidants of manuka honey! We’re also looking into several other health benefits … so stay tuned.
By supporting B Corps, like African Bronze Honey, consumers are able to choose companies that align with their values.
How African Bronze Honey Is Committed To Changing Global Business, For The Better
At African Bronze Honey, we value ethical business models and the importance of sustainability in the wild forest honey industry. As a certified B-Corp and member of the Fair Trade Federation, we are committed to supporting the communities that produce our products.
We believe that wild forest honey is not only delicious but also vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting biodiversity in southern Africa. By purchasing our honey, you can be confident that you will be enjoying high-quality products but also supporting sustainable and ethical business practices.
