Question: “Why did Radish Lab become a B Corp?”
Response by: Joshua Burcham, Creative Director & Managing Director.
We first became a B Corp in February 2018, but why?
You may have heard of B Corps, and if not – Certified B Corporations, or “B Corps,” are businesses certified by B Lab as meeting certain standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
To us, there were a few reasons we wanted to invest in this process.
1. Be in good company.
We knew that companies like Ben and Jerry's, Coursera, and Athleta were all part of the B Corps community (6,000+ companies around the world), and committed to using business as a force for good. This was an effort that we wanted to be a part of.
2. Make sure we’re walking the walk.
Radish Lab has tried to operate in a way good for employees and the environment: to be transparent, thoughtful, and intentional. Going through the process to become a certified B Corp was a good way to hold the mirror up, and see if we were doing a good job.
According to B Lab’s website, in order to achieve certification, a company must:
- Demonstrate high social and environmental performance by achieving a B Impact Assessment score of 80 or above and passing their risk review.
- Make a legal commitment by changing their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and achieve benefit corporation status if available in their jurisdiction.
Exhibit transparency by allowing information about their performance measured against B Lab’s standards to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website.
3. Learn how we can be better.
We knew that becoming a B Corp would provide us with some new, external metrics for how we could evaluate our impact and challenge ourselves to do better. As a certified B Corp, we’ve become carbon neutral by investing in renewable energy and offset programs. We measure our energy usage and set goals to decrease consumption. And, we offer paid time off for community service. As we’ve become a remote agency, we’re still looking for creative ways to think about how to lessen our footprint.
4. Build confidence with our potential clients.
We work with organizations who seek to make the world more just, equitable and sustainable. Being a B Corp is a trusted symbol that Radish Lab values transparency, being good stewards of the earth, and that we’re trying our best.
5. Be a part of a larger, global effort.
At Radish Lab, we believe in and support the Sustainable Development Goals — but they are huge global metrics of impact. Being a B Corp helps us identify the way in which Radish Lab can support the broader movement.
Check out our profile here. Want to get in touch? We’d love to hear from you.