We’ve submitted our B Corp assessment! One step closer to certification 🌍
We are SO HAPPY and proud to share that we have submitted TrueStart's completed B Corp assessment for review!!
B Corporation certification is the GOLD STANDARD for ethical business practices. It is a holistic approach to using business as a force for good that we just resonate with so much.
We've been hard at work on this behind the scenes for a long time and have always been open about the fact that we've been on the path to becoming B Corp certified. This milestone is a huge step towards becoming certified and we’re delighted to share it with you!
What is a certified B Corp?
B Corporations are a new model for businesses that are tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues and challenges, and building a new economy led by shareholder capitalism rather than profit at the expense of people and the planet.
It’s far from easy to become certified. B Corporations meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
We are totally on board with this new vision of a world where business is used as a force for good. I’m massively optimistic that profit, people and the planet can not only co-exist, but actually enhance one another. B Corps are proof of this!
What have we done during the assessment process?
In order to submit a B Corp assessment, you need to score at least 80 points. I’m proud to say that when TrueStart first looked at the assessment we naturally scored above average, even though we hadn’t yet reached the threshold of 80.
Covid put the brakes on the work we were doing on our B Corp assessment (as we suddenly had so much unexpected new work to do!!) but it also gave us the opportunity to step back and implement some major projects and changes to improve our social and environment impact even further. Some of these projects have included;
- Moving our drinks production to the South West, which has saved 2.2 tonnes of CO2 with every regular small batch produced, whilst simultaneously helping create and safeguard jobs
- Moving into an awesome new eco-first HQ on the Bristol-Bath cycle path, where we’ve implemented lots of eco-first processes and ways of working, including harvesting rainwater, planting trees and tracking our energy usage and waste disposal.
- Moving our warehousing & logistics to a fantastic local family business who share our values
- Eradicating plastic from our drinks production line, including our outer packaging
- Officiating some of the work we do with with schools with a commitment over the next 3 years, improving understanding of neurodiversity and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs
- Changing the legal structure of our business to report a triple bottom line - profit as well as our impact on people and the planet
These awesome changes have increased our B Corp score well beyond what’s needed and we’re just so excited to have reached this milestone.
What’s next?
We’re now in a queue, waiting for our assessment to be reviewed by the B Corp team which could take 5 months. Then, they may come back with specific feedback for us to action before proceeding to certification, which we hope to achieve this year.
Watch this space! 💚
