Let's get straight to the point: since March 27, 2023, Food for Skin can call itself a B Corp. Whoohee! But you might be wondering what this actually is and why Food for Skin finds this so important. That is why we will take you through this blog to explain why we think it is important for companies to become B Corp (benefit corporations) and what the benefits are for people, nature, animals and the planet.
What is B Corp?
B Corp is an abbreviation for Benefit Corporation and refers to companies that are committed to achieving positive social and environmental performance in addition to financial profit. This means that B Corps are not only focused on maximizing profit for their shareholders, but go beyond self-interest and instead go for making a positive impact on the world and in doing so care for all stakeholders inside and outside the company (stakeholders) and not just the shareholders (financial gain). The earth, the people, the animals, the plants are also a stakeholder, as are suppliers, employees, customers and basically your entire ecosystem. That is what you work for, not for your shareholders.
Read more about how we make an impact here
Which companies are B Corp?
Food for Skin has been a proud B Corp since March 2023! Food for Skin is now 1 of 6,500 B Corp companies worldwide. We believe in making responsible and sustainable products that benefit skin health and the environment.
A growing number of companies around the world are choosing to become B Corp. Some well-known Dutch B Corps are Tony's Chocolonely, Dopper, Fairphone and Seepje. These companies have committed to creating a positive impact on society and the environment.
How do you become a B Corp?
But how do you actually become a B Corp? Well, that wasn’t easy. It took us exactly 1 year! First, you have to pass a rigorous assessment conducted by B Lab, a nonprofit organization that provides B Corp certifications. The assessment measures performance in the areas of governance, employees, community, environment, and customers. To become a B Corp certified, a company must achieve a minimum score and meet B Lab’s requirements. A company must score at least 80 points to become a B Corp. You have to prove that you’re doing “good” in everything from sourcing to customer service, ingredients to waste management.
Food for Skin passed with flying colours with 89.5 points!
In a world where companies are increasingly being held accountable for their impact on society and the environment, B Corp certification can be a valuable tool to help companies achieve their sustainability and social responsibility goals. By achieving this certification, companies can not only show that they are taking their responsibilities seriously, but also contribute to a better world for all of us. And that’s exactly what we want!
How do you choose between B corp or another certification?
Food for Skin has consciously chosen to go for the holistic certification of B corp. There are many cosmetics certifications, such as Ecocert and Natrue. Natrue is one of the strictest cosmetics certifications and it is good to know that our products meet the Natrue requirements, but we have not chosen to be certified because it is very expensive. B corp is not free either, but because it goes much further than just natural or organic ingredients, we have chosen this quality mark. B corp also checks how you treat your employees, whether you take customer feedback seriously, whether you know where and how your products are manufactured, whether you have an eye for inclusivity and diversity and much more. That holistic, that suits us!
So what does Food for Skin do as a B Corp?
As a B corp you go further, you do more. In English: companies that go beyond!
What does that mean for Food for Skin? We promise to go beyond:
1. To deliver the best quality in products
2. To ensure that our products do not contain any toxic ingredients that could be harmful to humans, plants or animals
3. To protect people, animals and nature
4. To keep our footprint as small as possible
5. To use as few 'virgin' resources as possible and to use as much ' upcycling ' as possible
6. To be as transparent and honest as possible
7. To teach as many people as possible what they are using
8. To treat everyone with respect
9. To provide the best possible service to customers
10. To make the beauty industry beautiful again!
What does B Corp certification mean for the future?
It is not easy to get certified, but certainly not to keep it. Already during your assessment you will be given points that you have to work on for the next 3 years. In 3 years we will be assessed again.
In other words: no time to sit still, we continue to make the right decisions every day and find the balance between people, planet & profit! Read more about our mission here .
