Levelling up our commitment to people and the planet with B Corp Certification

Levelling up our commitment to people and the planet with B Corp Certification

At Good Things, we aim to be an eco-leader in the promotional product industry. We’re reinventing how brandable promotional products are sourced and ordered, making products look good, feel good, and do good.

For years, we’ve been dedicated to minimising our environmental footprint, from actively recycling waste to reducing unnecessary travel to collaborating with our suppliers on giving back and donating. 

We believe in continuous improvement, and the next chapter in our journey is pursuing a B Corp Certification. 

 

Embarking on the B Corp Journey

We’re currently undergoing the rigorous B Corp certification, which is expected to be completed by August 2025. This isn’t just another accreditation for us but a powerful way to solidify our commitment, demonstrate our high social and environmental performance, and exhibit more transparency than ever before. 

Understanding B Corp Certification

So, what exactly is B Corp Certification? While many of us may have a general understanding, undergoing the process has provided us with a more in-depth understanding of what it entails. 

It’s a globally recognised standard awarded to for-profit companies that meet exceptionally high social and environmental performance standards, accountability, and transparency.  

The accreditation is managed by B Lab Global, a non-profit network driving a global movement to reshape the economy for the benefit of all stakeholders – people, communities, and the planet. Once certified, a company proudly becomes a ‘Certified B Corporation’ or simply a ‘B Corp’.

Here’s what being a B Corp truly means:

• High performance: B Corps meets strict social and environmental impact standards, as evaluated by the B Lab Impact Assessment across key categories.
• Growing network: The B Corp movement includes over 5,000 companies worldwide, reflecting a significant and growing commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices.
• Global movement: B Corps are part of a worldwide effort to use business to reduce inequality, lower poverty, improve the environment, and strengthen communities.
• Impact focus: The B Corp certification process requires companies to demonstrate their positive impact on society and the environment by focusing on high-quality, dignified, and purposeful work.
• Certification: Achieving B Corp status is complex, requiring detailed impact documentation and recertification every three years.

 

Why we’re choosing the B Corp path at Good Things

We believe businesses should create meaningful positive change, making the decision to pursue B Corp certification a natural progression for us. Becoming a B Corp aligns with our core values of sustainability, ethical sourcing, and a drive to make a positive impact. 

We’re currently in the early to mid stages of the certification process, diligently documenting our existing systems and integrating new metrics to ensure we meet the strict B Corp requirements. As the saying goes, “what’s measured is managed,” and this process is helping us gain a clearer understanding of our impact and identify areas for growth.

Our current focus includes:

• Documenting existing initiatives: Record all the sustainable practices we already have in place.
• Levelling up our Good Range: We are improving our range of fully customisable and sustainably focused products, where we have the most direct control over environmental and social factors.
• Improving local facilities: Implementing further sustainable improvements within our warehouse and offices.

The B Impact Assessment has proven invaluable. It highlights our strengths (areas where we’re already making a positive difference) and opportunities for improvement (where we need to formalise processes to make them more robust).

What is the Good Range?

Our Good Range products are made-to-order; our clients can customise the design to suit their brand entirely, and there are no restrictions on size, branding, printing, or the choice of material. Because we have direct control over their creation, every product in the Good Range proudly contributes 1% of sales to environmental causes through our 1% for the Planet Pledge. This range is ever-growing, and our team is always searching for more sustainable products made from materials like bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, and stainless steel.

Early steps towards B Corp: The changes we’ve already made

Before achieving certification, we’ve been actively implementing changes, including: 

• Energy reduction initiatives: We’re implementing measures to reduce energy consumption in our offices and warehouse.
• Policy and documentation updates: We are reviewing and updating our policies and documentation with external entities, particularly our suppliers. 

 

Our vision for continuous improvement post-certification

Our commitment to positive impact doesn’t end with B Corp certification – it’s just the beginning. We firmly believe in the principle of Kaizen (Continuous improvement). Our plans for the future include:

• Expanding the Good Range: Introducing even more innovative and sustainable material options within our customisable product line.
• Strengthening supplier relationships: We are collaborating more closely with our suppliers to offer an even wider array of sustainable and ethically sourced choices. 
• Growing our network of audited suppliers: We are increasing our partnerships with suppliers holding certifications like Sedex, further ensuring ethical and responsible practices throughout our supply chain.

 

Join us on our sustainability journey!

We’re incredibly excited about this next chapter in the Good Things story (as we’re sure you can tell). We’ll continue to update you on our sustainability journey, and you can follow along the journey on Facebook or Instagram too for all the latest updates.