Three reasons to consider beginning your B Corp journey – Chris Nicol

As you may be aware, MasonBreese achieved B Corp accreditation in 2023, which we are immensely proud of. B Corp is one of the top certifications available that actively demonstrates how your business is operating to the highest environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

MasonBreese is one of only two B Corp certified businesses in the Channel Islands and we are on a mission to increase this number.

We recently hosted a fireside event in Jersey, which focused on inspiring businesses to join us on this journey. Throughout the evening, three key themes kept emerging that really demonstrated the varied benefits and opportunities that are associated with becoming a B Corp certified business.

Be the change
Jersey is a unique jurisdiction for many reasons. As an island with its own government, laws and regulations, we have the opportunity to be more agile, pave the way for change and demonstrate how ideas can be successfully implemented in other locations. In addition, our local business community is well established and close knit so we are able to easily share our expertise and experiences with each other. There are countless forums on Island which enables us to be in a strong position to be a testbed for change; Institute of Directors, Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Digital Jersey to name a few. By utilising these groups, we can support and influence the community to drive forward positive ESG change and change the narrative of what it means to be a professional business in Jersey.

This change wouldn’t just be felt on Island, but as an international finance centre, many firms in Jersey are linked to larger organisations in the UK and further afield. The BCorp process focuses on all elements of your business across five key impact areas of governance, workers, customers, community and environment and truly makes you evaluate everything from your supply chain to benefits package. By sharing information on the changes we are making we have the opportunity to have a larger impact globally..

Inclusivity
B Corp has built a global active community who share the same values to use their business as a force for good. Through demonstrating our values we hope to create a similar community on the Island. Many organisations would be surprised by how much they are already doing. For example, many will have implemented a diversity and inclusion policy, will have an employee benefits package available and will have a supplier due diligence process in place. Inclusivity is about making sure the right frameworks are accessible to anyone interested in reviewing how their existing policies measure up.

This inclusivity impacts your clients and customers too so there is a real commercial impact. People react positively to businesses demonstrating their values. Through clearly stating your values as a business, your employees are more likely to act as your ambassador in their network. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful, with 88% of consumers trusting their friends’ recommendations over media. As a result it helps your business retain existing clients and attract new clients through these recommendations. Also as a business you are providing clients with more choice, particularly to those who prioritise ethical practices in their commercial decisions.

Evolving values
Organisations are constantly evolving to meet the changing dynamics of conducting a successful business. Cultural values are shifting and increasingly clients want to work with organisations that care about societal issues and demonstrate their impact. They ask questions and seek out the tools to make informed choices to meet their goals and needs in a way that matches their values.

B Corp is a certification that allows clients to make that informed choice. The process holds the organisation accountable through providing a framework that an organisation must regularly document, demonstrate and measure their values against.

Increasingly organisations are taking on the challenge, this is reflected in the growing number of businesses certifying in B Corp – there are now over 2,300 B Corp businesses in the UK, including Coutts and The Guardian.

B Corp drives organisations to think deeply about their business, people and community. While B Corp isn’t beyond criticism, at its heart it is focused on ensuring an organisation has a measurable framework in place that is rigorously tested and they must recertify at regular intervals. It can be daunting to start the journey, but you don’t have to do everything at once. Start gathering information on your organisation’s practices and test them against the B Corp principles. You’ll be surprised what you can put into action right away to make incremental improvements.

The B Corp community has a wealth of information available to anyone curious to find out more. At MasonBreese we want to support Jersey in leading the way in this area. If you want to learn more about our journey to becoming a B Corp or would like MasonBreese to support you in adopting these practices, please contact [email protected].