Being a certified B Corp means that as a company, we are legally required to consider the impact of our business decisions on our employees, customers, suppliers, community and the environment. It’s a business-wide certification. It’s not only about parts of our supply chain (like Leather Working Group, World Fair Trade Organisation or Global Organic Textile Standard), but it’s about our company as a whole.
We shared information on our stakeholder management, salary structure, internal code of conducts, environmental footprint and corrective actions, how we work with our suppliers, and a lot more. In short, the actual question is, do we actively use our business for good? Of course, we know we do, using business as a force for good is one of the main drivers at O My Bag. We will continue to create bags that will not only make you happy but also the world around you!
It also means that we are part of a community of just over 7,000 Certified B Corporation companies world wide and just 650 in Europe, including brands such as Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's, Veja and Toms, that are driving positive change. We have access now to an incredible community of changemakers that are all on a mission to change the fundamental error code in business and prioritize the environment and society.
This external acknowledgement means a lot to us. To receive third party confirmation, but also to have an integral baseline for further company improvement. Achieving the certification does not mean that we’re done. The B Corp assessment is based on a points system, in which 80 points is the minimum requirement to become certified, and 200 points is the maximum score. We are currently at 94.1 B-Corp points, which means that there’s room for improvement. See how we currently compare to similar brands in the visual below. Every B Corp's score is publicly available.
We are proud of our maximum score on Community, because this is what O My Bag is built on: to make a positive difference for people. But we have also identified areas of improvement. As you can see, our environmental impact requires attention. We have been working on this, for example by switching to a LWG certified Gold rated tannery and switching to certified recycled cotton for our signature lining. But we're also refreshing our written HR policies to include a strategy for a more diverse workforce.
The good news is that we’ll get a re-assessment this year (2024), which will show us how we've improved our business. And of course, we'll keep you posted!
If you have any remarks, feedback or questions, let me know! You can reach me at femke@omybag.nl
