We have asked SproutWorld’s Sustainability Director Sidsel Lundtang Rasmussen about how she has worked towards achieving a B Corp certification for SproutWorld and the obstacles and advantages she experienced on the way.

B Corp means Benefit Corporations. It’s a community for companies that make a profit (versus non-profit organizations) but at the same time have a higher purpose by leaving a positive impact on our world.

It’s a third-party certification which means that it is not enough to make your own labelling claims. You need a neutral partner to validate how you work with sustainability in all aspects. It’s a proof that the company’s actions don’t cause harm to the planet.

It’s an outstanding tool to describe, measure, and set new goals for the future strategy on sustainability because these standards apply to everyone that applies to become a B Corp Certified company.

It’s a way of future-proofing your business to make sure you meet the increasing demands from your customers on how you work with sustainability.

It’s an investment in getting into a community of the most sustainable companies in the world. A B Corp certification is a door opener to doing business with other B Corps and with companies that only collaborate with those who meet the highest standards.

It’s a tool to fight greenwashing. Being a B Corp member simply increases your credibility when it comes to sustainability.

No, not at all!

It’s a long, costly, and very time consuming process. I worked with the application for months and applied in January 2021. Since then we’ve been in a “soon to be B Corp” phase sending further documentation back and forth. You need a lot of patience because the number of companies that apply has increased considerably in the past few years, so there’s a bottleneck in getting through.

It's been a good way to evaluate all aspects of the company and to make sure we haven’t overlooked something important. It shows where we are doing well and where we need to improve.

B Corp is a very well-known and recognized certification among consumers, especially in the US and the UK. Many customers prefer to buy from B Corps. In the past few years we have experienced an increasing number of business clients asking for more documentation when it comes to sustainability.

Also, it’s a way to attract new employees, especially younger people, because a B Corp Certification earns credibility to the brand and workplace.

Arm yourself with patience: ​

It takes time to find all the internal information and documents. You will work with many departments in the company to gather all the information required. ​

The B Lab analysis also takes a long time, as many companies are in the same application stage as you, and B Lab only has a certain number of employed analysts available. We waited 1.5 years before we got certified.

When your patience is tested, and you read every day on LinkedIn about other companies who have just become B Corps, you will ask yourself; "are we there yet?" Preserve the internal motivation, think how cool it is to work for a soon-to-be B Corp, and remember; you'll be there sooooon .....

6 things to think about: ​
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It will always make sense to be a best-for-the-world company with as little negative impact as possible on nature, climate, employees, animals, and people. Not to mention the doors it will open for doing business with other B Corps. ​

That being said: ​ ​

Consider who your audience is. Do they know about B Corp? Is there a first-mover advantage? ​

Are there other alternatives? Are other communities more suited to your business or recognized in your industry? In the end, you need to make a difference in your customer’s life and comply with their wishes and expectations for your product/company . ​

Make sure you have the full support of the owner and management. To become B Corp certified, the company must legally change the company's corporate governing articles and adopt a legal entity that requires consideration of all stakeholders in its decision-making (e.g., benefit corporation) ​

Do you have internal competencies to start and finish the project? Or do you have the budget for outsourcing the project? ​

Plan for the post-B Corp process: How will you communicate the achievement?