The Road to Collective Impact: How Avery & Brown Became a Certified B Corporation
Have you ever counted down the days to an important milestone?
We have. And one such moment arrived at 3:54 pm on Thursday 31st August 2023, when we received the news that Avery & Brown has become a Certified B Corporation. It’s a milestone we’ve been counting down to for 3 years and 20 days.
While all this precision with time and dates may seem pedantic, it matters to us. You see, when Tim and I founded the business in my garden shed on 11th August 2020, I specifically remember the list we made:
- Come up with a name (that didn’t take us long!), a visual identity, and build a website
- Provide outstanding marketing and creative services...
- Only to great purpose-driven businesses
- Set our sights on becoming a B Corp
For nearly 15 years, I had dreamt of launching a 'good' company. Back then, by 'good', I meant a business that doesn't just chase profits, but also holds itself accountable for the well-being of people and planet. One which is committed to solving some of the world's most pressing challenges, from climate change to social inequality. My understanding of what this meant evolved over time, hand-in-hand with the growing sustainable business movement.
In this first of a series of posts by the Avery & Brown team, I'll explore what B Corp Certification means to us and where it fits into our journey to date.
A shared vision
Why B Corp? Why was this a framework we wanted to go through?
This is a question the team and I will be exploring in more detail over a series of posts in the coming weeks and months. More on that soon, so keep an eye out. For now, though, the easiest way to answer this question is by referring to B Lab’s own theory of change:
PROBLEM
"The current economic system, driven by business as one of its key actors, is not meeting its enormous promise to create positive impact, while creating significant negative impacts."
OUR VISION FOR CHANGE
"An inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet."
This vision speaks to the core of what Avery & Brown is all about. Check some of our foundational statements below and see the alignment:
OUR PURPOSE
To inspire others to be a force for good.
OUR VISION
A regenerative built environment.
OUR MISSION
To create and elevate sustainable brands who are building a future to be proud of.
Collective impact and success: this isn't just about us
Like every business which reaches its third birthday, we haven’t walked this road alone.
By choosing to work with other purpose-driven businesses that are every bit as committed to making a positive impact as we are, our clients have been our partners in purpose. Together, we're making an impact that extends beyond business. It’s about social justice, environmental stewardship, local empowerment, and global change.
To date, we have four fellow B Corp Certified clients, and over thirty more purpose-driven businesses which have also identified B Corp certification as something they would like to work towards. The result of this, when combined with our purpose, vision and mission, is that we have an Impact Business Model which leads to tangible collective impact.
“A company with an Impact Business Model is intentionally designed to create a specific positive outcome for one of its stakeholders - such as workers, community, environment, or customers.”
Our Overall B Impact Score of 107.6 puts this into perspective. The median score for ordinary businesses is 50.9, and the threshold for qualifying for B Corp Certification is 80. We are beyond delighted with our score, as it’s a true reflection of our relentless focus on being the best business we possibly can be, focusing on people and the planet as well as profit.
In future posts, we’ll explore the connection between our B Impact Score with actual, quantifiable achievements by delving deeper into the work we do for our clients and the results it has achieved.
So much more than a badge on our website
If you’ve followed #OperationRegeneration – the name we give to our regenerative business journey – for a while, you’ll know that we have been walking the walk on ‘doing good’ and ‘being better’ since Day One.
Whether it’s writing to the Prime Minister about climate change, going to meet our MP in Westminster as members of the Better Business Act, marching in the streets at The Big One to demand a just transition away from fossil fuels, donating to and volunteering our time with charities, investing profits into environmental regeneration projects… We do whatever we can to give back and show that businesses really can be a force for good.
All this to say that, for us, B Corp is far from being just another label to slap on our website. It’s a commitment that spans every facet of our business. For us, it's not about ticking boxes or chasing scores. It's about measurable, meaningful changes that make lives better and safeguard our planet for future generations. We look forward to continuing to work towards those goals.
The road ahead: our expanding role
Regenerative business isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. And so too is B Corp Certification.
This isn’t it. We haven’t reached some magic goal where we can all just stop, crack open the Bollinger and light up our victory cigars.
Instead, this is our launch pad for greater responsibilities and even more positive impact. We’re already asking ourselves what’s next. Where do we go from here? Where have all our points come from? Where’s the most room for improvement? How can we increase the collective impact we make with our clients, partners, collaborators, suppliers?
And we’re also thinking about the thousands of businesses out there and the thousands yet to come who are new to their journeys and are looking for support. We're fully committed to doing whatever we can to mentor the next generation of regenerative business leaders and driving change on a larger scale.
Do we know exactly how this looks yet? Of course not. But rest assured when we do, we’ll be sharing it all publicly on our website and social channels, just like we have done for the last three years. And the uncertainty excites us; it’s an opportunity for dynamic growth and learning.
Being a Certified B Corporation is our starting line, not our finish line. This is where the real work begins, and we're more excited than ever to put our ideals into action.
For those of you keen on the nuts and bolts of becoming a B Corp, Beth will be writing a separate post all about the process itself. Stay tuned for that – it'll be a must read!
Thank yous
I couldn’t possibly end this post without taking a moment to thank Tim and the rest of the Avery & Brown team – Beth, Josh, Tilly, Becky and Ben. Each one of you brings your A-game every day, embodying our values and driving us towards this incredible milestone. Thank you for being such a pivotal part of our journey.
A heartfelt thank you to Beth, who spearheaded our application process. Your dedication and enthusiasm have been invaluable, and we couldn't have reached this milestone without you. Cocktails and a trip to Harry Potter World are on us.
To our wonderful Advisory Board – Michelle, Rick, Debs, and Aaron – your advice and support has helped us to navigate some difficult waters. We’re so grateful for your support.
To Jannine, our wonderful regenerative business mentor. Your mentorship has been nothing short of transformative and you always look out for us in more ways than one. Every great regenerative business needs a visionary guide, and we're fortunate to have you.
And to everyone else – all of our wonderful clients, friends, partners, collaborators, suppliers, membership buddies, cohort chums, fellow agency owners – there are far too many of you to list, but please know that you have all played a role in our journey to date and we appreciate all of you.
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