Earth Day spotlight: What it means to be a Benefit Corporation in CPG

For Earth Day, we spoke with Crisp customers (and B Corps) Good Food for Good and Purely Elizabeth to learn about the global B Corp movement and what it means to be a mission-driven CPG brand.

About Benefit Corporations

A Benefit Corporation – or B Corp – is a certified business organization that meets exemplary standards for social and environmental responsibility, public transparency, and legal accountability set by the designating non-profit organization, B Lab.

These companies strive to create sustainable business models, which utilize their revenue to benefit society and the environment.

Often viewed as more innovative and ethical than traditional businesses, B Corps are attractive to consumers and investors seeking businesses that make a positive impact in the world.

But becoming a B Corp is about more than a desire to improve the world: to earn the certification, companies must pass the B Impact Assessment, a comprehensive assessment that measures a company’s performance in five areas: governance, workers, community, customers, and environment. 

Those that meet the B Impact Assessment standards are designated as B Corps, while those that don’t are provided with a roadmap to help them improve their performance.

Despite the thorough examination process, the fact that there are over 6,000 B Corps in the world today is a testament to the growing realization that business can be used as force for good in the world. This is especially true in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, where B Corps are working to create products that are good for both people, and the planet.

This year for Earth Day, we are spotlighting three Crisp customers that speak proudly about their B Corp certification, and represent a commitment to building a more sustainable food system.

B Corp spotlight: Good Food for Good

Not surprisingly, CPG brand Good Food for Good’s business is built on the foundation of doing good in the world. The certified B Corp makes organic, better-for-you packaged sauces and donates a meal to those in need with every purchase. 

The company was founded by Richa Gupta, who was inspired by the “buy one, give one” model of Tom’s Shoes. Good Food for Good was born with its own “buy one, feed one” model.

The company’s sugar-free products, made with clean ingredients also align with their mission to create healthier pantry staples for households.

“These are some things that helped us meet the initial threshold to become certified,” COO Prashant Dube explains regarding the process to becoming B Corp certified. “We were donating meals before the company ever turned a profit.”

Prashant made it clear that the B Lab assessment is a serious undertaking that requires a significant time investment.

“It’s a project, right? So it’s not like you block off a Friday and you’re done,” he said. “I would estimate that it took us around 100 hours, or two weeks, to work cross-collaboratively and compile the information.”

According to Prashant, for Good Food for Good, the efforts were worth the return. The B Corp certification helps the company communicate their overall stewardship and values, with the logo serving as “social proof” of their authenticity – benefitting relationships with consumers and retail partners alike. 

“From a marketing and recruitment standpoint, it helps reach audiences that want to work with a purpose driven company.”

Prashant advised companies to undergo the process not just as a means to an end, but as a learning experience – even if they don’t meet all of the requirements. 

“When it comes to the B Lab assessment, it’s okay to aim for the minimum threshold [to become certified]. It isn’t a competition, it’s about aspiring to become better, and upholding the values of what it means to be a B Corp.”

According to Prashant, for Good Food for Good, the efforts were worth the return. The B Corp certification helps the company communicate their overall stewardship and values, with the logo serving as “social proof” of their authenticity – benefitting relationships with consumers and retail partners alike. 

Prashant Dube, COO Good Food for Good

B Corp spotlight: Purely Elizabeth

While some companies find that their established business practices help them achieve a B Corp certification, other companies like Purely Elizabeth used the B Lab assessment to build the framework for their business in its early days.

Purely Elizabeth is a better-for-you granola brand that was founded in 2009 by Elizabeth Stein. The company is committed to making healthy, delicious snacks that are also good for the planet, with its mission being to create something that is “more than just a food brand… that can help people thrive on their wellness journey.” 

Purely Elizabeth’s VP of Sourcing & Sustainability Christin Powers spoke with Crisp about how in 2015, the then start-up used the B Lab assessment as a tool to develop processes and best practices to help build the business – knowing that they wanted to uphold the most sustainable, and ethical policies possible.

“We became certified in our first couple years of business,” Christin explained, “so it helped us set up things like our employee handbook and supplier contracts.” 

Christin spoke about how the B Lab assessment requires taking a rigorous inventory of business practices, but that it includes an Excel document that includes every question, respondent’s answers, and the points and how they were weighted. 

“That way, you can see the gaps for each section and assess the best ways to become certifiable,” she explains.

We also had a chance to connect with Purely Elizabeth founder and CEO Elizabeth Stein about what the B Corp certification means to the business and CPG industry as a whole.

“Being a CPG B Corp indicates that a company is using their business as a force for good for their employees, supply chain and impact on the planet,” Elizabeth shared.

For what it means to Purely Elizabeth specifically, she offered, “Being a B Corp has been part of our DNA since the very beginning. It’s just inherently who we are. It’s about choosing to do the right thing when it comes to all of our business practices for our employees, customers and communities. It’s helped to weave our mission and core values into our daily business practices, inspiring and nourishing our people, regenerating our planet, and growing a healthy, profitable company.”

“Being a B Corp has been part of our DNA since the very beginning. It’s just inherently who we are. It’s about choosing to do the right thing when it comes to all of our business practices for our employees, customers and communities. It’s helped to weave our mission and core values into our daily business practices, inspiring and nourishing our people, regenerating our planet, and growing a healthy, profitable company.”

Elizabeth Stein, Founder/CEO Purely Elizabeth

B Corp spotlight: Illy

Crisp recently spoke with beloved global coffee brand Illy about their use of the Crisp platform,  and learned more about their B Corp certification. 

Illy is known for their dedication to sustainability and social impact, and they practice direct trade, which provides even more control to farmers than fair trade. 

Illy shares that “being a B Corp is a substantial commitment that is taken into consideration for every Illy project to ensure sustainable quality.” These projects for instance include supporting schools in Nicaragua, leading reforestation efforts in Colombia and supporting communities of women in Rwanda.

Illy is an excellent example of how a consumer goods company uses their resources to uphold global sustainability, and social impact. The company is committed to ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, and community development. With these efforts combined, Illy is an excellent example of a B Corp in the CPG food space!

Conclusion

Historically, the consumer packaged goods industry has been tied to global issues spanning environmental impact, labor practices, animal welfare concerns and consumer health. 

But B Corps are changing the way we think about business. They are proving that it is possible to be successful, while also being socially and environmentally responsible. They are inspiring other businesses to follow their lead, and offering a more ethical and sustainable business ecosystem.

Crisp is proud to partner with brands that uphold the values of B Lab and champion the B Corp movement in the consumer packaged goods industry. We are excited to see what the future holds for these brands and for the CPG industry as a whole.

Historically, the consumer packaged goods industry has been tied to global issues spanning environmental impact, labor practices, animal welfare concerns and consumer health. 

But B Corps are changing the way we think about business. They are proving that it is possible to be successful, while also being socially and environmentally responsible.