Raising a glass to all the B Corps in the UK and beyond!
CELEBRATE B CORP MONTH 2021
This month is a chance for us to focus on something we really pride ourselves on here at Hattiers Rum: our status as a certified B Corporation. The first rum brand in Europe and only the second in the world to certify. Being a part of the leading global B Corp movement, which includes companies such as Bruichladdich Whisky, Finisterre, Patagonia, The Jamie Oliver Group, Brew Dog and Innocent Drinks , means that we are part of a community of companies who are working to make the shared vision of sustainability and using business as a force for good.
B Corp month is a chance to celebrate all of the brilliant things that go on behind-the-scenes of a sustainable business.
What are B Corps?
Certified B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standard of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. Why is it important for Hattiers Rum to be a part of this?
For us, the list of B Corps includes such distinguished global changemakers, we really wanted to join and get involved. We wanted to be part of the solutions together. In practice, this means that every three years we have to re-assess and evidence ourselves as a company to prove that the things we claim are true. Our founder Philip jumped straight into the shoes of becoming the B Local chair for Devon!
At the conception of the business, our vision for Hattiers Rum and its values were acutely aligned with the B Corp values of people, planet and profit.
The good news is this is slowly, but surely becoming the new status quo. Consumers are consistently more conscientious about what they buy, and to question any green washing practices. We are advocates of total transparency and working with fellow B Corps to achieve our environmental and social impact aims more quickly than we would have been able to achieve alone. Take for example our commitment of becoming Net Zero carbon by 2030. This is a huge task, as we blend rums that may have been distilled over two decades ago, or longer! The questions we have to challenge ourselves with is how to quantify the carbon balance of the sugarcane grown, refinery process, distillation, transit, then taking ownership in the UK of our component rums, our energy, logistics and general day to day carbon impact. It's a lot to decode, and even more to find a carbon negative solution.
We plan to tackle it in stages and not simply announce on social media that 'we are now carbon negative', because we simply offset some carbon. This practice is seen far too regularly and we will not be complicate in it. Being a B Corp means that we hold ourselves to the HIGHEST STANDARD!
March is B Corp month when the global community of almost 4,000 B Corps are celebrating what it means to be a B Corp and sharing stories about #BetterBusiness.
PWC have a nice article on B Corp. Find out more here