Nowadays, almost every company claims to care about sustainability, ethics and social responsibility. But it can be hard to determine which businesses are serious and which are using social issues as a marketing tool. Those businesses that are genuine about their commitment towards the environment and wider social issues often choose to become B-Corp Certified, which indicates that a company is demonstrating a high commitment towards things like transparent supply chains and fair treatment of workers.
Becoming B-Corp certified is a great way to stand out, which is most beneficial to businesses that are operating in a competitive market. If you’re a service agency offering expertise in areas like marketing, design, and development, you may find that becoming B-Corp certified gives clients an extra reason to choose your company over the many other options that exist.
This article will explore how service-based agencies can take steps towards gaining B-Corp certification.
The B-Corp Certification Process
It’s not as simple as signing up for a certification or paying a fee. Becoming B-Corp certified is a long process where businesses must demonstrate their commitment to social and environmental issues.
Eligibility: All for-profits that have been operating for 12 months or more are eligible to become B-Corp certified.
Pricing: Businesses must pay a submission fee, verification fee, and then an annual fee to become and stay B-Corp certified. Fees are dependent on company size and revenue.
B Impact Assessment: Companies must score over 80 points on the B Impact Assessment to become B-Corp certified.
Legal Requirements: Check to see if your company structure meets the B Corporation legal requirements.
How To Demonstrate Commitment To Social Issues
As mentioned above, one of the most important steps in becoming B certified is passing the B Impact Assessment. To do so, you must answer a series of questions that are designed to test whether or not your business is putting in the required effort to tackle social and environmental issues.
Here are a number of ways you can prove that your business is striving to be better, which should subsequently support you in passing the B Impact Assessment.
Mission Statement
The assessment may ask about your business’s mission statement to determine what issues are at the heart of your business. As a service agency, it’s important that your mission statement doesn’t just talk about your work. It should also convey what you are doing to make the world a better place. Hello Earth is a B Corp-certified ecommerce digital marketing agency, and their mission statement reads as follows:
“As a creative-first, performance-driven agency, we partner with DTC brands that practice the values they preach, delivering gut-punching results while cutting the industry’s digital carbon waste. We’re a rogue team of creative and strategic assassins, obsessed with precision, and hell-bent on maximising efficiency and profit.”
Treatment of Workers
Creative agencies may not work in the most dangerous of environments, but it’s still important to show that you are taking steps to keep your employees safe, along with treating them fairly in other aspects. The B Impact assessment may ask questions relating to accessibility, employee satisfaction, and similar areas, so it’s important to regularly communicate with employees to see how you can improve.
Impact on the Environment
One of the biggest areas of B certifications is a business’s impact on the environment. Again, you may not think that a service agency can have too much impact on the planet, but there’s no excuse for all businesses to be doing more. For instance, many agencies are choosing to go carbon neutral in an attempt to prove their commitment to the planet.
Ethical Marketing
For marketing agencies attempting to be more responsible, this is a big one. When putting campaigns together, it’s important to ensure you are not misleading potential consumers or promoting unhealthy behaviour.
Benefits of Becoming B Corp Certified
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, gaining your B Corp certificate can be a great way to stand out as a service-based agency. But benefits aren’t limited to this. Consider the following benefits:
More Attractive to Potential Employees: Some individuals may be more likely to apply for jobs with companies that can demonstrate a commitment to social and environmental issues, which could help an agency attract a better standard of staff.
More Appealing to Investors: Those looking to invest may be more willing to put money into a responsible business, as it will reflect better on them.
Builds Trust with Third Parties: Whether you’re looking to form partnerships with other agencies or attract new clients, boasting a B Corp certification can alleviate concerns around trust and validity.
Final Thoughts
With agencies constantly working for ways to stand out above competitors, it’s important to think outside the box. And demonstrating a commitment to the environment could be a great way to do this, especially if you are looking to work with responsible businesses.
