B Corp Certification: What It Means and Why It Matters to Exilior
Recently, we announced that Exilior became a Certified B Corporation on December 12, 2021. We’re unpacking what it means to become a Certified B Corporation and why it matters to us in the first place.
What is a B Corporation?
A B Corporation is a certification recognizing that a company maintains high, verifiable standards for transparency, accountability, and managing its social and economic impact. By implementing such measures, the company becomes a force for good in the world.
B Lab is the group that confers this certification worldwide. B Lab is a global non-profit organization established in 2006. It is dedicated to changing the global economy so that it becomes more regenerative, inclusive, and fair.
The organization believes that current legal systems, business cultures, and prevailing mindsets about success negatively impact individuals, societies, and the planet. These negative impacts include structural inequality and environmental degradation. They have also led to people losing their sense of well-being and connection to the community.
B Lab sees tapping into the power of business as the solution to these woes. By prioritizing all stakeholders instead of only the shareholders, companies can positively impact society and the world.
How does a company become a B Corporation?
B Lab has a rigorous process for certifying potential Certified B Corporations. The process that a company undergoes depends on many factors. These factors include revenue, company size, the industry to which the company belongs, and ownership structure.
Companies that want to get certified have to undergo a B Impact Assessment. This involves including stakeholder considerations in your company’s corporate governance, completing risk reviews, submitting paperwork, and attending interviews.
The goal of the assessment is to determine your commitment to adhering to high standards and creating a positive social and environmental impact. Once your company is verified and reaches B Lab’s 80-point benchmark, you get to sign the B Corp Agreement. You’re now a Certified B Corporation.
Exilior is committed to Doing Good.
Exilior co-founder Francis Kungu started the B Impact Assessment in 2019. He realized that doing it on his own was a challenging process. In 2021, he found support and guidance from Built Oregon and Mike Mercer of MMercer Consulting.
After eight months of meetings, consultations, interviews, and paperwork, Exilior became a Certified B Corporation. Not only that, Exilior achieved a 96-point impact score, highly exceeding the assessment average of 50.9.
Exilior has always been committed to creating a positive impact on the community. In fact, impact is in our DNA. We are a small, family-owned business with a deep and proud Kenyan heritage. We want our business to become an agent for bringing change and empowerment to Kenyan coffee-growing families.
Join us in our quest by shopping for Exilior coffee from our partners or our online store.