Becoming a B Corporation
Posted on 13 July 2015
At COOK, we believe there is a better way to do business than the conventional capitalist approach that pursues profit at all costs. This is why we became one of the UK’s first certified B Corporations, a global movement of companies that believe in business as a force for good in society.
From the founding of COOK in 1997, the ambition for the business was about more than money. Our goal was always to create a company that was good for shareholders but also good for others who came into contact with it – employees, communities, suppliers and customers. While we were fighting to survive (and it was touch-and-go for quite some time), we found it difficult to put this ambition into a set of principles or guidelines by which to manage the company.
Becoming a certified B Corporation has provided us with a “no bullshit” stamp that proves we mean what we say. To be certified we had to pass a rigorous assessment to prove we meet tough standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
Becoming a B Corporation has also given us the ideal framework to better understand and express our ambitions beyond just being a profitable company. It’s also a great way to start a conversation about how and why our business is different.
There are now more than 1,300 B Corporations globally from big, familiar brands like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Patagonia, the outdoor clothes company, to small start-ups.
What unites us all is the belief that business success is about more than just profits. It’s about helping to create a society that enjoys shared and durable prosperity. A society with equality of opportunity; a healthy environment; strong communities; and work with dignity and purpose.
Yes, it’s lofty and idealistic stuff. And we’re thrilled to be part of it.
Be the change (man).