Being B Corp-certified is Elemental!
We are (again) B Corp!
We see our B Corp certification as a confirmation of our intrinsic motivation to enable organisations to make the transition to a planet and society that thrives. And we do this not only in others, but also in ourselves.
Elemental was formed in 2023 from a merger between Fronteer (B Corp) and Strategy Makers (B Corp in the making). This means that we have re-entered a certification process as a new company. This brought us structure & acceleration in merging the various practices and policies. In doing so, the certification itself was not the end goal and therefore we do not feel that we are already there. There is still an awful lot to make our operation and business model more sustainable.
But first, we celebrate for the recognition of our common mission. common mission. And of course, our score of 90.3. That is almost 10 points above the industry average!
What has B Corp brought us this far?
1. Inspiration and reflection: the process we went through to achieve B Corp certification has led to reflection. Much is going well, but there is always room for improvement. The various focus areas of the B Impact Assessment (BIA) require a broad focus. Offering your customers a vegetarian lunch or travelling by train is not enough. Going through the process is a confirmation that we are moving in the right direction, but are not there yet. Fortunately, the BIA offers plenty of inspiration and challenges. Besides, of course, certification should not be the goal either, but rather a nice bonus and confirmation of the positive impact we are making. A future where performing at B Corp level is the norm and having certification no longer makes you special should be the goal as far as we are concerned. Just as we strive to help other organisations transition, and then leave.
2. Structure: the BIA structures the interventions you can do as an organisation to become more sustainable. First, with the impact areas: governance, employees, community, environment and customers, but also with the subcategories below. This helped us divide the work between the different circles and roles. We work with holacracy within Elemental and find it important that everyone can help build the organisation.
3. Recruitment: several colleagues joined us through platforms like greenjobs where they turned on the B Corp filter. With the motivation of wanting to work for a mission-driven organisation.
4. Community & events: in addition to the certificate, as a B Corp you can also connect with like-minded companies. This way, you share knowledge and inspiration with organisations from inside and outside your sector. One of the concrete examples of this is the JEDI (Justice Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) taskforce that we as Elemental participate in. The taskforce is a space for B Corps in Benelux to come together and make space for JEDI. This is done by sharing resources, discussion and designing and implementing campaigns and initiatives such as master classes.
We are proud of the certificate and the milestone it represents for Elemental. Together with our team of enthusiastic B-leaders, dreamers and doers, we hope to spread the mindset that businesses can and should be used as a force for positive change. So, join the movement!
Did this article get you thinking? Do you have questions about B Corp Certification?
Or do you have a challenge where you could use our help?
Then contact one of our B leaders: Justin van der Starre via justin.vanderstarre@elementalstrategy.com.
Updated 2023