We’ve got big news. We’re officially B Corp certified!
If you’re wondering “what is a B Corp?” or “How does a company get B Corp certified?” we’ll get on to that in a minute, but in short it means that we’re dedicated to doing good — in our business and for society. We don’t believe that businesses should have to choose profit or purpose, and our new certification is just one way we’re proving it every day.
Meet some of the other big brands who make up our exclusive B Corp community — there are only 215 of us in the UK and it’s a pretty rigorous process to get in, so we’re super proud to be aligned with these visionary businesses.
Doing more than just business as usual…
In today’s world, we all have a social responsibility to help improve the way we live — and B Corporations believe that brands and businesses should be a part of the movement.
B Corporations believe that society’s most challenging problems cannot be solved by government and non-profits alone, and so work toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of more high-quality jobs with dignity and purpose. Birdie qualified for B Corp certification, having met the rigorous social and environmental standards set out to ensure companies’ commitment to achieving goals outside of shareholder profit.
At Birdie, we built our business with a community in need at our core. Everything we do is aligned to our core mission, to improve the lives of elderly people. But that’s not all it takes to become a B Corporation.
So what exactly is a B Corp company?
In a nutshell, it means we’ve been recognised as a force for good…
“Birdie is a socially mission-driven company that aspires to be a role model for businesses and other startups, as well as a considerate citizen of the world. We are striving to set a benchmark for a new kind of organisation that not only promotes social good but fosters a trusting and fully transparent work culture that is both principled and profitable.
Max Parmentier (CEO and founder of Birdie)
How does a business become B Corp certified?
We undertook a lengthy process to become B Corp certified, which involved an in-depth application to provide all sorts of information about our business model, our initiatives, our workforce and even the way the lights work in our office. (They’re on a timer to save energy, fyi).
Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
The B Corp certification process entails organisations to provide solid and sustainable evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices across five key impact areas, spanning: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. Some of our own practices include reduction of environmental footprint, fair worker compensation, complete corporate/ financial transparency, initiatives that promote employee health, well-being, engagement and personal development, 200 hours of community service and incorporating customer feedback into product design. Certification is tied up in a legal agreement to deliver, improve and sustain these practices.
Why do B Corporations matter?
B Corporations are leading the way in business. Committed to helping to solve society’s problems, becoming a B Corp certified company is a way to show our employees, customers, investors and government that we’re committed to doing good — for society, for our people and for the world.
“The startup community can play an important part in shaping the eco, ethical and sustainability agenda, however, it is unusual for a startup to achieve B Corp Certification. We would like to help set a positive trend and mobilise this movement in the SME community, especially to ventures within the ‘tech for good’ space that are equally committed to achieving social and environmental best practices.”
Max Parmentier (CEO and founder of Birdie)
We’re proud of our new B Corp status, but we won’t stop there. Our team is always looking for new initiatives and new ways to serve society and reduce our impact, so if you have any ideas, we’d love to hear them!
Want to know more about B Corp and see who else is certified? Check out the directory here.
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