Celebrating B Corp Month: Behind the B

We can’t believe it’s taken us this long to wish you it, but… Happy B Corp Month!

Wait, didn’t realize it was B Corp month? Are you not sure what a B Corp actually is? Well, we have a sneaking suspicion that you’ll get to know it soon enough as B Corp becomes a house name.

But in the meantime, why are we at Assembly talking about it? We aren’t a B Corp (yet…), but B Corp month is a celebration of the movement and a chance for B Corp companies to flex their certified arms. B Corp is something we aspire to be and are on our own road to becoming. So, as the theme of this month is ‘Behind the B’, we thought we would take the opportunity to reflect on the reasoning and questions that drive this kind of work and inspires companies to take on the rigorous accreditation process.

To kick-off, a little bit about B Lab.

B Corp was created by B Lab, a not-for-profit organization, founded in 2006 in the US. The B Corp was created for companies to meet certain standards of transparency, accountability, sustainability, and performance.

If you haven’t noticed that the importance of sustainable practices is growing, we’re not sure where you’ve been!

How a brand represents and conducts itself is now, for many people, a reason to back it and a reason to engage with it (and conversely, a reason to leave a brand!). Brands are no longer becoming just a place you either buy your shoes from or book a holiday through, they are becoming a lifestyle choice. According to Apptus, 23% of Gen Z have boycotted a brand, and 77% have taken some form of action for a cause they believe in. This shift in dynamics is showcasing that brands and businesses alike are having to step back and reassess what they stand for that transcends beyond profit.

B Corp has been acclaimed as the ‘gold standard’ for sustainability, due to the comprehensive framework it offers for companies seeking to address ethical and social & environmental concerns at the core of their businesses. It helps businesses clarify what their purpose is in society, as well as makes them think about the role they are playing within the many pressing challenges we see today.

For Assembly, the B Corp feels like a no-brainer. We are a company who have had social impact woven within our DNA for 10+ years now, recently expanding this to social and environmental impact, as well as making Purpose (DEI+B, People and Social & Environmental Impact) one of our core pillars.

B Corp allows us to mature and grow our current processes, policies, and projects that are already working in this area, as well as consider new ones. It’s not an endpoint for us, which is some criticism B Corp has received. It has been commented that B Corp can be seen as a ‘tick box’ exercise for businesses, and once they have achieved B Corp, the work stops. That’s not the case for us. B Corp is just the starting point – it’s a commitment to how we work on those gaps identified in the certification process, and then how we adapt our proposition to the changes in societal and environmental challenges we will inevitably face in the future.  

According to B Lab UK, 72% of the UK public think businesses should have a legal responsibility to the planet and people. That is in the context of just one region we work within. Imagine what that could look like globally! It’s why at Assembly, we are committing to listening to these voices, from our people, to clients, to their customers, and journeying to join the over 3,300 already certified B Corps across the world.

So, what’s behind the B for us?

Well, it must be opportunity. Opportunity to learn, to grow, and to develop. As a more sustainable future is needed, we as a business need to work to make sure we are fit for purpose to not only operate within that, but to help achieve it. To hopefully, as we say, leave the world better than we found it.

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