In October 2019 Pip & Nut took a huge step and certified as a B corp! (Woohoo!) This blog explores a little bit about B corps and our journey to become one for any curious squirrels out there
So what exactly is a B Corp?
B corps use business as a force for good. That means they reach the highest environmental and social standards. So whilst success in a traditional business is all about profit, B corps also measure their impact on people and the planet. There are 3301 B Corp so far including trailblazers Patagonia as well as fellow foodies Innocent and Propercorn. Watch the video below to here our founder chatting to Innocent's CEO Douglas Lamont about our certification journey.
So why did we want to become a B corp?
Pip & Nut has been kinder to the planet from day one – we have always been 100% palm oil free (even when Pip was making the nut butters at her kitchen table). Unsustainable palm oil farming is a leading cause of deforestation. Wildlife such as orangutans, sumatran rhinos and pygmy elephants are endangered as their rainforest habitats are cleared to make way for palm oil plantations. As big animal and nature lovers this just doesn't sit right with our squirrel team at The Nest. Keeping our nut butters palm-oil free means they are runnier due to it’s thickening properties. Never ones to follow the crowd, we embrace their delicious, drizzly texture. In 2018, we decided that we wanted to go a step further and make a legal commitment as a business to protect people and planet.
How did we get there?
It was a long process to get there, the application process took us over a year to complete, with the whole team pitching in to change Pip & Nut for the better. We were measured on over 200 questions across 4 areas. You can check out our full scores across each area here
Here are a few things we are really proud of....
Governance:
- Employee share scheme
- Legal commitment to protect people and planet
- Board of directors
- Impact report
Environment
- Increased recycled plastic (Rpet) content in current jars to 30%
- Labels fully recyclable
- Renewable powered Nest (Pip & Nut HQ)
Workers:
- Flexible working
- 1 day work from home
- Vitality health insurance for all full time squirrels
Community:
- 3 paid volunteering days for all full time squirrels
- Donations to Hackney Foodbank
- Supplier code of conduct signed by all factories
- Sourcing our Nut Butter Cups chocolate from ethical suppliers Luker Chocolate, who educate cocoa farmers and invest in community projects
So What's Next?
We will retake the assessment every 3 years. Along the way we will be measuring our impact and setting goals to have a more positive impact on people and planet. We are excited for the journey ahead working with the B corp community to use business as a force for good :)
Still curious about B corps? Hop over to the B corp website to explore!
