More than a tick-box: a small reflection from B Corp month

A simple reflection on accountability, everyday decisions and what sits behind the B Corp label

By Claire Mellon, Co-founder and Chief Client Officer

Tony’s Chocolonely.
Patagonia.
innocent drinks.
Cohesion Financial Solutions.

Not a group of brands you’d naturally put together at first glance.

However, they do have one thing in common. They are all certified or Pending B Corps.

B Corp has never been about perfection. It’s about accountability. It provides a framework that asks businesses to evidence how they operate, how they treat people, how they consider environmental impact and how they balance profit with purpose. It is structured, measured and independently assessed.

What I’ve been thinking about this month (which is also B Corp Month!) is that the framework isn’t something you always see on the surface. More often, it sits quietly behind the scenes in the choices businesses make and the standards they hold themselves to. In other words, it should feel natural and part of how a business operates – for the people within it, their suppliers, their clients and all stakeholders.

As a Pending B Corp, it brings a bit of perspective. We’re still at the beginning, but very clear on why we chose this path for Cohesion. Not because it’s easy, and not because it’s expected, but because it gives us a way to build the business in a considered and responsible way from the outset.

And sometimes, it’s as simple as sitting at home with a bar of Tony’s Chocolonely (don’t ask me to choose a favourite flavour because they are ALL AMAZING!) remembering that behind even the most familiar brands, there are decisions being made about how business is done.

Purpose isn’t just something you say. It’s something you build into how you operate. Happy B Corp Month!