The Road to B Corp™ Certification: Future Leap’s Journey 

In today’s corporate landscape, businesses are increasingly recognising the importance of balancing profit with purpose. For Future Leap, a company deeply committed to sustainability and social responsibility, becoming a B Corporation was a natural step. The path to this prestigious certification was challenging but driven by strong motivations. Here, we delve into the journey from the perspective of the team, shedding light on the multifaceted process of becoming a B Corp. 

The Motivation: Why B Corp™? 

The decision to pursue B Corp certification was driven by several compelling motivations: 

Aligning with Core Values 

Future Leap has always prided itself on being a leader in sustainable business practices. The B Corp certification, with its rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, aligns perfectly with the company’s mission and values. Achieving this certification is a formal acknowledgment of the company’s commitment to these principles and has guided on our path of continued improvement as an organisation. 

Building Credibility and Trust 

In an age where consumers and stakeholders are increasingly skeptical of greenwashing, having an external validation like B Corp certification can significantly enhance a company’s credibility. For Future Leap, this certification serves as a testament to its genuine dedication to making a positive impact on society and the environment.  

Attracting Like-Minded Partners and Talent 

Future Leap recognizes that its continual growth will depend on building relationships with partners and attracting talent who share its commitment to sustainability. B Corp certification will act as a signal for individuals and organisations that value purpose-driven work, helping us to create a holistic network of collaborators and employees. 

The Challenges: Navigating the Certification Process 

The journey to B Corp certification is demanding, presenting challenges that the team had to navigate: 

Comprehensive Assessment 

The B Impact Assessment (BIA) is a comprehensive evaluation that examines every aspect of a company’s operations, from governance and workers to community and environmental impact. Completing this assessment required Future Leap to meticulously gather data, review and update policies, and measure outcomes, which was a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. 

Balancing Short-Term Goals with Long-Term Vision 

While the long-term benefits of B Corp certification are clear, the team faced the challenge of balancing the immediate demands of the certification process with ongoing business operations. Allocating sufficient time and resources to the certification process without compromising day-to-day activities was a delicate balancing act. If your organisation is considering pursuing a B Corp certification this should be taken into account.  

Continuous Improvement 

One of the core principles of B Corp certification is the commitment to continuous improvement. This means that Future Leap has to not only meet the initial certification requirements but also establish mechanisms for ongoing evaluation and enhancement of its practices. This long-term commitment requires a cultural shift within an organisation, and the nurturing of an environment of continuous learning and development. B Corp has helped us formalise this path.  

Complexity and Ambiguity 

Given that B Corp is a global certification, covering companies of all sectors, many of the assessment criteria often felt ambiguous and unrelatable. We were helped in the task by our in-house team of sustainability consultants, along with subject matter experts and B Corp specialists from our extensive network. Our ability to collaborate with and learn from other value-aligned organisations meant we were well supported and ultimately able to successfully navigate and overcome these challenges.  

The Outcome: A Rewarding Achievement 

The team at Future Leap have remained steadfast in the pursuit of B Corp certification. The journey has been long and demanding, but the outcome is immensely rewarding. Achieving B Corp status has not only validated the company’s efforts but also reinforced its commitment to creating a sustainable and equitable future. 

Future Leap’s team reflects on this journey with a sense of pride and accomplishment. The certification is more than just a badge of honour; it is a testament to the company’s dedication to balancing profit with purpose and leading by example in the corporate world. As Future Leap continues to grow and evolve, the principles of B Corp certification will remain at the heart of its operations, guiding its mission to make a positive impact on the world. 

 Future Plans: Continuing on the B Corp™ path 

From an environmental perspective, Future Leap has already committed to expanding the scope and accuracy of our scope 3 emissions. This will enable us to make meaningful progress towards our target of achieving net zero by 2040 and help us to communicate our ambition to our customers, partners and supply chain. We understand that true progress is not possible without the involvement of our stakeholders, and therefore our B Corp™ certification will only serve to increase our credibility in this area.  
We will report back when we re-certify in 3 years.  

Fenna Leake, who has been instrumental in guiding Future Leap through the B-Corp assessment, comments: 

“I’m thrilled that Future Leap is now a certified B Corporation and I really enjoyed being part of the B corp journey. B corp brought the whole team together to examine our business practices ensuring that people and the planet are at the forefront of the company’s mission. 

 Our B corp journey was a little longer than expected due to the fast growth Future Leap went through in the past 2 years, as the company evolved at pace we also had to adapt our B corp approach but thanks to the commitment of the whole team we have achieved certification and look forward to making improvements in the future. 

 I feel B corp is a particularly valuable tool for small and new businesses as it provides a useful framework for structuring processes and policies early on. For start-ups this can be new territory and take time to develop and B corp is a handy tool for working through best practice. 

 A big well done to the whole team for helping us achieve this goal.” 

From Katherine Piper has been a driving force in Future Leap’s successful B Corp certification, says: 

“I am immensely proud of the Future Leap team for working together to ensure we achieved B Corp certification. Despite it taking a lot of human resource, it was an invaluable experience and helped us to set the future direction of travel for the company.  

Part of gaining B Corp certification, for example, involves amending your company’s Articles of Association to show that People and Planet are given equal consideration to Profit. This is something we have always strived to achieve and so it is great that this is set in stone and front and centre of our mission for the company.  

An area in which I feel we really improved was in relation to the ‘Workers’ impact area. Due to completing the B Impact Assessment, we now have an anonymised team satisfaction survey, improved Continuous Professional Development policies and an enhanced regard for inclusivity (amongst other things). More details to follow in our refreshed Impact Report! 

I am now really looking forward to meeting other fellow B Corps within the region, to learning from them and continuing to work towards B Corp’s aims to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. 

Well done to all those involved.”  

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