News > In B-est Company

In B-est Company

Dienstleistungen
Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

Our vibrant and committed B Corp community in Germany includes startups, established medium-sized and family-owned businesses, as well as large corporations.

What unites them all is their renegotiation of how business success is defined. They are aware of their responsibility toward people and the environment, measuring and verifying the impact of their business activities. Together, we aim to transform the economy toward social and environmental sustainability.
These certified B Corporations have committed to ecologically sustainable and socially fair business practices, measuring the impact of their activities using the B Impact Assessment.

News > Open letter: Calling the economy to account

Open letter: Calling the economy to account

Environmental Stewardship and Circularity
Fair Work

More than 25 B Corps in Germany have signed an open letter to the economy in which they call on the economy to question the profit-maximizing orientation of the last century and to take responsibility for the effects on all those involved.

All signatories:
As of July 19, 2023

EVERGREEN GmbH infarm Nespresso Weleda respektive1 GmbH PNZ Produkte GmbH

altamedinet

Unique-U ecotree Y2B innocent Wildling Shoes GmbH Innate Motion ekomia GmbH ANINSU Nextview Consulting the nu company GmbH Vinokilo neosfer GmbH Tomorrow GmbH Sustainable Growth Associates GmbH neu.land GmbH Startnext GmbH soulproducts GmbH fairpension Elephant Gin GmbH ferrer

The Makers Food

share GmbH Chiesi GmbH railslove Danone D-A-CH St. Oberholz Consulting GmbH Freche Freunde erdbär GmbH Peerigon GmbH Endeva

GOT BAG

Download the open letter

You can make a contribution by distributing the open letter. Simply download it here. Thank you very much!

News > Determining the right track. A guide.

Determining the right track. A guide.

Bildung
Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

In this article, we show you what to look out for when selecting the sector as the basis for the right track.

This categorization is often ambiguous and can raise questions, which is why we discuss the central trigger questions that trigger the different tracks here. Each track is effectively a version of the B Impact Assessment, each with different questions and a varying point weighting. We address the following three key questions:

Why is classification in the right sector important as a basis for the track?
What are the key trigger questions for determining the right sector?
What do I do if I accidentally end up on the wrong track?

All graphics in this article can also be viewed here.

Introduction

There are many different versions of the B Impact Assessment (BIA), which are essentially determined by three factors:

Size of the company – determined by the number of employees on a full-time equivalent basis
Sector/industry in which the company operates
Market – determined by the location of the company where most employees are based

These factors are queried at the very beginning, when registering for the BIA, and lead to the selection of the so-called “track” for the company. This in turn determines the selection of questions that a company answers as part of the BIA. It is therefore important to classify this correctly from the outset in order to avoid potential subsequent changes to the track, which usually lead to changes in the questionnaire and additional work. Choosing the right sector is particularly important here. Before we start, let’s first set the context.

Why is classification in the right sector relevant?

Classification in the right sector is so important because it determines the selection and weighting of the questions. This reflects the interests of the various stakeholder groups, which differ depending on the sector and industry. For example, a small consulting company with an office will have fewer questions to answer about the supply chain or its environmental impact than a large manufacturing company, for which it is more important to know the details of the supply chain or to examine aspects of occupational safety. As a general rule, the more complex the sector in which the company operates, the more questions are asked in the BIA and the lower the weighting of the questions (inevitably).

What are the key trigger questions for determining the right sector?

The first fundamental question is: “How does the company generate its revenue, through the sale of a service or a physical product?” If the answer is “Both”, then the decisive factor is whether more than 10% is generated from the sale of a physical product. If yes, then the answer is “physical product”. This distinction helps with subsequent classification. Example: A hairdresser (service) also sells hair care products in the store, which account for 20% of turnover. In this case, the selection “Physical product” is correct. On the other hand, if a service company has income from the sale of physical products, but these do not exceed 10% of turnover, then the selection “Service” remains.

Service vs. physical product

Let’s stay with the case of the service. Here, the next question is “Does the company need a physical space or specific equipment to provide the service?” If the answer is “Yes”, then the correct sector is “Services with significant environmental impact”. If the answer is “No”, then the correct sector is “Services with minor environmental impact” Attention! Offices are excluded from the consideration. Example: If a hairdresser needs a salon to provide his services, this is in the sector “Services with a significant environmental impact”. A consultancy or marketing company, on the other hand, which does not need any physical space apart from its office, is in the “Services with minor environmental impact” sector.

Physical product

Back to the “physical product”: So, if 10% or more of a company’s revenue comes from the sale of physical products, the question then becomes, “Does the company have responsibility for the products or production (in whole or in part) at any given time?” In other words, does the company produce products in its own facilities with the help of salaried employees? If “Yes”, decision tree 1 follows; if “No”, decision tree 2.

Examples: For a store that buys goods in order to resell them, the answer is “yes” (-> decision tree 1). For an online platform that sells the products via a dropshipping mechanism (where the company does not buy the products it sells itself, such as Ebay or Etsy) and therefore does not own the products at any time, the answer is “No” (-> decision tree 2).

Decision tree 1 (see figure below)

If a company manufactures less than 10% of the products it sells itself, the answer is “No” and the correct sector is “Wholesale/Retail”. If, on the other hand, a company manufactures more than 10% of the products it sells itself, the answer is “Yes” and another trigger question follows: “Do parts of the processed materials come from plant-based agriculture?” If the answer is “No”, the correct sector is “Manufacturing”. If the answer to this question is “Yes”, the next trigger question is “Does more than 10% of the processed material come from the company’s own plantations or fields?”. If the answer is “Yes”, the correct sector is “Agriculture/Growers”. Attention! If this is not the case, but the company pays for more than 50% of the expenses for suppliers/producers from agriculture, then the correct sector for the company is still “Agriculture/Growers”. If the expenditure for suppliers/producers from agriculture is less than 50%, the correct track is “Manufacturing”.

Attention! The 50% limit does not include expenses for marketing, salaries and rent for office space.

Decision tree 2

We remember that for online platforms (e.g.) that do not buy the products sold themselves at any time (such as Ebay or Etsy), decision tree 2 should be applied. Here, the central trigger question is: “Does the company have a physical space (e.g. a store or warehouse) or physical equipment (e.g. machines)?”. If the answer is “Yes”, then the correct sector is “Services with significant environmental impact”. If the answer is “No”, the correct sector is “Services with minor environmental impact”. If all trigger questions are answered correctly, you are on the right track! If you want to look at the illustrations again, click here for the presentation.

What do I do if I accidentally end up on the wrong track?

This is not a problem. You have the option of changing the track yourself. To do this, go to the BIA dashboard, where you will find the “Track Details”. Simply click on “Update Track” and you can make the necessary adjustments. This also applies to companies that are being recertified and whose business model or size may have changed. We hope this article has helped you to determine the right sector for you. You are now on the right track and can get started with the B Impact Assessment.

News > Fairtrade coffee from Berlin

Fairtrade coffee from Berlin

Groß- & Einzelhandel
Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

An interview with Coffee Circle CEO Martin Elwert about Community.

The sun rises, a new day begins, and in millions of kitchens around the world, a steaming cup of coffee sits on the table. The brown powder that is part of daily life for so many is one of the most valuable resources on Earth. Globally, approximately 125 million people earn their livelihood from coffee.
What many are unaware of is that coffee is primarily grown by smallholder farmers. However, only a fraction of the revenue from the billion-dollar coffee industry flows back to the farmers. To be precise, they receive, on average, only 3 cents for a coffee sold for three euros. In many cases, this is not even enough to cover basic living expenses.
Driven by the vision of rethinking the coffee value chain, certified B Corp Coffee Circle aims to set new standards for fair consumption. This year, the German company received the “Best of Community” award but has been part of the B Corp Movement since 2016. “Best of Community” means that it is among the top 5% of B Corps worldwide in the “Community” impact area within its size category.
Coffee Circle not only advocates for fair payment for coffee farmers but also collaborates with local communities on projects that improve lives in the coffee’s countries of origin. CEO Martin Elwert shared more about the company’s beginnings, its Impact Business Model, and their collaboration with the community with B Leader Fabian Vermum during a coffee break after winning the award.

Fabian: What motivated you and your co-founders Moritz and Robert to start selling coffee?

Martin: The first time we seriously thought about coffee was during our trip to Ethiopia. There, we supported Moritz’s brother in building a school. When we returned from Ethiopia, we started thinking about how we could contribute in our own way.
Drawing from our experiences and Ethiopia’s rich history with coffee, the idea of selling coffee came to us. From the very beginning, it was clear that we wanted to work with as few intermediaries as possible. At the same time, we wanted to give back to the local community. That’s how the idea of returning €1 per kilogram of coffee to the countries of origin was born.

F: On your website, you openly discuss the many labels and certifications available. Why did you decide to join the B Corp Movement?

M: Fundamentally, I would differentiate between standard certifications for individual products—some of which only represent minimum standards—and B Corp. B Corp is one of the few certifications that delves deeper into the topics of social and environmental responsibility.

F: You won the Best of the World award in the “Community” impact area. How do you define your community?

M: For us, the community includes everyone we work with, from our customers to our partners in the coffee-growing regions. It’s important to us to engage with our partners as equals and to be personally present on-site.
Our Impact Business Model is unique in that we source our product from the same place where we also give back. In our case, we give €1 per kilogram of coffee back to the people who grow the coffee. Actually, I don’t like the word “give” in this context, although technically it’s correct. I want to emphasize that we don’t simply donate the money to random causes; instead, we try to reintegrate it into our value chain. Our partners earn this money by producing high-quality products, which I believe is far more dignified and effective than traditional donation models.

F: What role do personal relationships with your suppliers play? How do you maintain these relationships?

M: Relationships are built by nurturing them. This means not just visiting when there’s work to do, but continuously supporting each other. Whenever possible, we visit our partners regularly. Over many years, these visits have fostered friendships that go beyond a purely professional relationship.
Since we spend days and nights, sometimes in tents, in the middle of the communities, a special bond has developed with the residents. This close connection helps us better understand local challenges and collaboratively design projects that truly meet the needs of the communities.
The most important thing for us is treating our community with respect and as equals.

F: How do you choose the projects you support?

M: First and foremost, we talk to our community to understand where the real needs are. For larger projects, we even conduct multi-week baseline studies to better understand the project’s impact. What we aim to avoid is creating dependencies.
For example, we might build a school and ensure that the government provides teachers, but we wouldn’t pay for the staff ourselves. If we suddenly couldn’t provide funding, the entire system would collapse. Even though we’ve intuitively done a lot of things right with our projects, the B Corp certification has helped us consider all perspectives.
The true value of B Corp emerges when you use it as a management system. Companies that want to continuously evolve particularly benefit from the B Corp Assessment (also called the “B Impact Assessment”) because it helps approach social and environmental responsibility holistically.

F: Which project are you particularly proud of?

M: The most meaningful project was the first school we built. Education is a topic very close to my heart, alongside all the other important issues. We also received incredible support from our partners at the time.
We had challenges with the government because we weren’t a registered NGO, so our money transfers needed to buy materials didn’t go through. To keep the project going, the school principal collected tiny sums of money from thousands of people in the community. Essentially, the community lent us the money until we could pay them back.
The school is still standing, and the project remains a great success to this day. Something like this is only possible because we built such a close relationship with the people involved.

F: How does B Corp help you in your search for international partners?

M: What helps us the most is the global B Corp community. It especially makes life easier when selecting new partners. For example, we work with Daterra, a B Corp-certified farm in South America. Since they are also part of the B Corp community, we knew from the start that we shared a similar understanding of corporate responsibility. With this foundation, we were able to establish a successful working relationship, which continues to this day.

F: If you had to compare Coffee Circle to the journey of a coffee bean, where would you say you are right now, and where is the journey headed?

M: (Laughs) I think we’ve already been picked, but I’m not sure if we’ve been processed yet. We definitely haven’t been shipped. I’d say we’re still in storage in the country of origin.

News > Interview with Business Sustainability Analyst Nicola Tröge on the topic of recertification

Interview with Business Sustainability Analyst Nicola Tröge on the topic of recertification

Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

All certified B Corps are due for recertification in three years at the latest. For many B Corps, this raises the question “How do we best approach the topic, how do we prepare ourselves”? We were therefore very pleased to be able to conduct an interview with Nicola Tröge, a Business Sustainability Analyst at B Lab Europe who supports companies in the recertification process. In this interview, she provides valuable insights into her work and tips on what B Corps can do to prepare themselves in the best possible way.

Nicola, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! You are a Business Sustainability Analyst in the Review Team at B Lab Europe. Can you briefly describe what that means exactly and what you are responsible for?

As business sustainability analysts, we guide companies through the so-called verification phase. In this verification phase, the response options selected during the assessment are verified. During this process, for example, evidence is requested to confirm the selected response options. As business sustainability analysts, we are therefore in close contact with companies to determine how positive impact is created. We help companies to reflect this positive impact correctly in the assessment and the resulting final score at the end of the verification phase determines whether a company becomes or remains part of the B Corp community (in the case of recertification).

Key point “recertification”. All certified B Corporations must undergo recertification every three years at the latest. What do you pay particular attention to in the process?

By and large, recertification is similar to the original certification. An assessment is again completed by the company and the evaluation and verification phases are also completed. In these phases, information is again requested regarding, for example, the company structure and the product and service offering of B Corp. With regard to recertification, particular attention is paid to changes within B Corp.

Has the company’s mission changed? Are new products or new services being offered? Have the existing products or services possibly changed? Among other things, these are important aspects that can influence the positive impact of the company. The recertification can be seen as a new ‘stocktaking’. A lot can change in companies over a three-year period and we want to reflect these changes in the assessment. This can, for example, lead to a new impact business model being applied. An example of this would be a food manufacturer that has introduced additional Fairtrade-certified ingredients within the three years. The positive impact achieved by this implementation is reflected by an additional impact business model in the assessment. Many companies also use this three-year window to improve their own company impact. The assessment tool also offers direct assistance here. For example, companies can create a personal ‘Improvement Report’ in the B Impact Assessment. In this way, many companies improve their positive impact and consequently their score compared to the initial certification.

Do you have the impression that some companies find recertification more difficult than initial certification, and if so, why?

It is difficult to give a general answer to this question. However, there are several aspects that can influence whether companies find recertification more difficult than initial certification. Many companies find it an advantage that they are already familiar with the way the assessment works. For example, existing B Corps already have an understanding of the impact areas, the structure of the questions and the verification process. This can help to make it much easier for B Corps to go through the recertification process. Through the initial certification, companies also know what type of documentation is required. This makes it easier to prepare for recertification. For example, the supporting documents can be better prepared over the course of the three years with a view to recertification. During the initial certification (and each subsequent recertification), companies can also identify opportunities to improve their impact. Over the years, many companies actively use the B Impact Assessment as a tool to integrate certain aspects into their business practices. Another important point is that within three years, not only will corporate practice within B Corp most likely change, but B Lab’s standards will also evolve. Especially with regard to recertifications, it is important to understand that so-called ‘version changes’ occur every three years or so. As a result of such changes, B Corps may, for example, have to answer new questions during recertification that were not asked during the initial certification. The existing standards are changed to ensure that the way in which ‘positive impact’ is defined and evaluated is constantly improved. The level of the standards therefore increases steadily over the years. Recertification can therefore be a challenge for companies whose score was close to the 80-point minimum limit at the time of initial certification. For such companies in particular, it can be interesting to use the assessment as a tool to identify areas where there is potential for improvement. With regard to the upcoming recertification, certain practices can then be integrated to prepare companies for the rising level of standards.

In your opinion, what are the key requirements for companies to get through the process without any major hurdles?

I would like to discuss four aspects that promote a smooth verification process.

Before the verification phase begins, companies are asked to document the corporate structure. This is an important step, as the company structure and related brands can influence the assessment. If this aspect is documented correctly at the beginning, subsequent changes can be avoided, which would mean additional work. It is important to remember that companies are being certified and not brands as such.
Another aspect that should ideally be completed before recertification is the amendment of the company statutes. Incorporating the additional paragraphs into the company statutes usually takes time and it is therefore advisable to complete this adaptation in advance. An important tip in this regard; if the company structure contains several companies, it is advisable to contact our community managers to determine which company should complete the adaptation.
As already mentioned, it is very important that all selected response options can be backed up with documentation. The selection of response options should be based on existing written documentation so that it can be made clear which aspects are integrated into company practice.
Another aspect that helps to ensure that recertification can be completed without major hurdles is the discussion of potential improvements as part of the assessment. As already discussed, the B Impact Assessment can be used as a tool to improve the positive impact that the company creates. This prepares organizations for the rising level of standards and contributes to a successful recertification process.

The B Corp movement is also known as the “Movement of Improvement”: how important are impact improvements for recertification?

As a Movement of Improvement, we see ourselves as a movement that is continuously learning and improving. The existing standards and processes are changed to ensure that the way in which ‘positive impact’ is defined and evaluated is constantly improved. The level of standards therefore increases steadily over the years. While the minimum threshold of 80 points exists as such, the B Corp movement is about improving the positive impact in terms of social and environmental aspects over time. After the initial certification has been completed and a company has become part of the B Corp community, we encourage companies to integrate the “Movement of Improvement” mindset into their organization. As mentioned, the B Impact Assessment can be used to identify areas for improvement. For example, if a company did not implement an environmental management system during the initial certification, this could be an aspect that can be introduced within the three years in preparation for recertification.

What tips would you give companies that are now preparing for recertification? How much lead time should they allow?

It is helpful to prepare for recertification in advance, as this promotes a successful verification process. The amount of preparation time can vary depending on the size and complexity of the company. Therefore, I share a few general tips below: Firstly, I recommend that after the initial certification, when companies have just engaged intensively with the assessment, they should already be looking strategically at recertification. This allows companies to make efficient use of the three-year period until recertification is due in order to prepare for recertification. For example, it can be helpful to use the “Improvement Report” in the B Impact Assessment as a tool to integrate certain aspects into company practice until recertification. It is important that the selected response options can be documented in the assessment. One tip in this regard is to have documentation ready for the selected response options. This could, for example, already be compiled when the assessment is completed so that the majority of the evidence is already available to the companies during the verification phase. Another tip is to involve internal company experts for the various impact areas right at the start of the recertification process. The B Impact Assessment covers different areas of the company and there is rarely just one person who is familiar with all aspects. It is therefore advisable to work in a team of experts. This promotes, for example, the selection of the right answer options right at the start of recertification. If evidence is then requested during the verification phase, it can most likely be provided because the answer option was selected by experts from the relevant area.

Dear Nicola, a big THANK YOU to you for your time and valuable tips!

Dear B Corps, we hope that we have been able to give you some helpful and valuable insights along the way. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with the B Lab Germany team: germany@bcorporation.eu

News > Sympatex: Collaboration and Innovation in the Circular Economy

Sympatex: Collaboration and Innovation in the Circular Economy

Groß- & Einzelhandel
Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

“Our primary strategic focus is on sustainability and this goal is even more important than short-term financial benefits”

Sympatex was awarded “Best for the World” in the environment category for the second time this year. We ask Rüdiger Fox, CEO at Sympatex, 5 questions about this and find out, among other things, why competition can no longer work and why it was a good idea to close the company for a day in 2016.

What do you think led to this award? What does the high score in this category represent?

At Sympatex, we have defined sustainability as a corporate goal. We believe that every company must consider its goals within a larger socio-economic system in this complex world. In this respect, our primary strategic focus is on sustainability and this goal is even more important than short-term financial benefits.

You also have several impact business models in the category. Can you briefly describe what they mean and what they represent?

We have realized that as a supplier of a polyester membrane, we are the missing element in the textile industry in the field of circular textiles. Polyester makes up 80% of synthetic materials in our industry. With our mono-material strategy, we can already prepare products in such a way that they can be easily recycled at the end of their life. And this has also been at the heart of all innovation topics and development projects in recent years. We are giving our customers the opportunity to prepare for the circular economy today.

What specific impact have you been able to achieve with the measures in this category? What are you particularly proud of?

Back in 2016, we founded a consortium whose members represent the circular economy in the textile industry – Wear2Wear. All partners have worked for over five years to ensure that the circular economy is already possible in the textile industry today. Last year, we presented a jacket at ISPO in Munich that we are particularly proud of: A jacket made entirely from used textiles. It was proof that the circular economy is possible. We have created a reference that the new EU legislation can use as a guide. It is therefore no longer a theory, but a tangible reality.

Without whom would the award not have been possible?

I believe the strategy could only become reality because it was made possible by all employees working together and is therefore the guiding principle for all activities in all areas. Nothing was controlled from the top down; instead, any changes were able to grow from the bottom up in the organization, meaning that everyone can identify with the results. And it was crucial that we developed the core strategy “We are closing the loop, together” together with all employees in 2016. To do this, we closed the company for a day and developed the foundations together. If we hadn’t done that, it would probably have been fragmented or just a bit of greenwashing. As it is, it is a reality that automatically flows into all areas of the company. Everyone tries, almost in a natural way, to move the company a little more in the direction in which our industry must develop holistically every day.

Finally, what are 3 words that define the B Corp movement for you?

Courage. … because those who join the movement are not only those who have recognized that things need to change, but also have the courage to actually implement them in the face of resistance and criticism.

Realistic. …because it is actually not a moral theory due to its implementation in the companies! In reality, every B Corp company proves anew every day that a different way of doing business is also a successful model. Sustainability and social compatibility are in no way contradictory to economic success – both can run in harmony.

Collaborative. …because anyone who studies the circular economy will realize that in an economic system where everyone is both customer and supplier, competition can no longer work. And in this respect, B Corp is the upgrade of what the economy can mean and therefore an example of what the future will look like.

About Sympatex

As one of the world’s leading suppliers, Sympatex® has been synonymous with high-tech functional materials in clothing, footwear, accessories and technical applications since 1986. Together with selected partners, Sympatex develops, produces and distributes membranes, laminates and functional textiles as well as finished products worldwide. The technologies and processes are based on the principle of ecological responsibility and sustainability, with a particular focus on minimizing the carbon footprint. Sympatex is represented worldwide with sales offices and subsidiaries. More information can be found at www.sympatex.com

About “Best for the World™ Each year, B Lab recognizes the top performing B Corps. “Best for the World” is the award given to a B Corp-certified company when it ranks in the top 5% globally in its respective size group in one of five impact areas: community, customers, environment, governance and employees. These companies demonstrate that they have successfully integrated the three pillars of sustainability and, as “the best for the world”, are at the forefront of a movement that is driving the transformation of business to a stakeholder-oriented and inclusive economy. This interview previously appeared on Karry Schwettmann’s blog

News > More than planting trees: How Ecosia anchors its mission sustainably in the company and what role the community plays

More than planting trees: How Ecosia anchors its mission sustainably in the company and what role the community plays

Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

This year, B Lab named Ecosia “Best for the World” in the “Community” category for the sixth time in a row. We ask Génica Schäfgen, Head of Ecosia Germany, 5 questions about this and find out, among other things, what other measures underpin the tree planting efforts and how the B Corp and Purpose movements complement each other.

What do you think led to this award? What does the high score in this category represent?

Community is at the heart of all our projects. Ecosia plants trees where they are most needed, but the planting itself is only a small part of our tree planting efforts. The survival and care of our trees depends on how much the community values the trees. By working with the communities, the local people who plant the trees are able to have stable employment and generate their own income. They can also use or sell yields from agroforestry systems, for example, for their own use. They then often reinvest in the greening of their region. Both can contribute to stabilizing the political and economic situation in these countries. The people who work in the projects and the newly planted trees can make an incredible difference: The living conditions of the local people are improved, the ecosystems and biodiversity are protected and climate change, is actively combated through the CO2 absorption capacities of the trees.

You also have an impact business model in the category. Can you briefly describe what this means and what it represents?

Since our founding in 2009, our mission has been to create a more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable world. Within this mission, our tree planting efforts, for example, are recognized within the B Lab appointed Impact Business Model “Designed to Give” in the area of society. We then go one step further and have anchored our mission in the company structure. In 2018, our founder Christian Kroll sold his shares to the Purpose Foundation, transforming Ecosia into a purpose-driven company to legally guarantee that no one, including himself, can ever sell or bequeath Ecosia for profit, or use the profits for anything other than the common good. This way, Ecosia can guarantee that our way of doing business will forever serve the good cause. And more and more companies in Germany are now following this philosophy, e.g. within the Purpose movement.

What specific impact have you been able to achieve with the measures in this category? What are you particularly proud of?

We have now planted over 130 million trees in over 30 countries worldwide and inspired many people and companies to follow a similar path with our idea of a charitable search engine. This year we celebrated a huge success when the Android Choice Screen was launched by Google. This was a ‘choice screen’ on Android devices where alternative search engines had to bid in an auction for a place as the default search engine, with only the highest bidders being shown as an option. After initially boycotting the choice screen completely, we later decided, together with other alternative search engines, to put pressure on the European Commission to take action against the anti-competitive nature of the choice screen. For us, the result of these efforts this year was a huge success against anti-competitive behavior and for fairness in the search engine market. Because ultimately, as a non-profit search engine, we want to use our money to plant trees, not to pay other search engines.

What or who made this award possible?

Without our 15 million users worldwide and our tree planting partners. Only through the searches of our growing user community have we been able to plant over 130 million trees and become the environmental movement we are today. Every single person who searches with us contributes to our tree counter constantly counting upwards. Just as important, of course, are our project partners who implement and help shape the projects, as well as the local communities who are fighting to preserve their ecosystems.

Finally, what are 3 words that define the B Corp movement for you?

social, sustainable, together.

About Ecosia

Ecosia, headquartered in Berlin, is the largest non-profit search engine in the world and was founded in 2009 by Christian Kroll. To date, it has planted over 130 million trees in more than 30 countries worldwide, including Spain, India, Burkina Faso, Australia, Brazil and Indonesia. Since 2017, Ecosia has been building solar plants in Germany to ensure that the global server power for search queries can be offset with renewable energy. The solar plants now produce 200% of its own energy consumption in the form of renewable energy. Monthly financial reports provide a transparent view of income and expenditure. More information at www.ecosia.org

News > How B Corp PNZ Sets New Sustainability Standards in the Chemical Industry<br>

How B Corp PNZ Sets New Sustainability Standards in the Chemical Industry

Produktion
Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

Best For The World-Interview with Marcel Pietsch-Khalili

This year, B Corporation PNZ Holzpflege Manufaktur was recognized by B Lab as “Best for the World” in the Environment category. We ask Marcel Pietsch-Khalili, Managing Director, 5 questions about this and find out, among other things, how PNZ approaches sustainability as a chemical company and which factors have been decisive for its success in recent years. What do you think led to this award? What does the high score in this category represent?
We are very excited to have made it into the top 3 in the world in our category. But above all, we are delighted that our vision of approaching sustainability in a completely new way in a high-impact sector such as the chemical industry is paying off. Our B Corp score in the “Environment” category is currently 55.8. We have not only achieved this result for the development of particularly environmentally friendly products. In particular, we have succeeded in continuously optimizing production processes and product life cycles. One example: We have developed a new type of cleaning system and an assessment tool for the impact of product packaging “alongside” the actual product development. We have succeeded in making our company CO2-neutral in Scope 3 (i.e. including the supply chain). We are also working with internationally renowned institutes to research new technologies to make chemistry even more resource-efficient and environmentally friendly. All these parallel developments were only possible because we were able to make sustainability the core of our business model. You also have an Impact Business Model in the Environment category. Could you briefly describe what that is and what it entails?
We do not see sustainability as a business objective, but as the central core of all our activities. This is why we do not have a sustainability department; instead, working towards a resource-conserving approach to nature and society is the responsibility of all employees – every day. Our Impact Business Model comprises 6 levels:

Products and Their Lifecycle: From regional raw materials and packaging to lifespan as a relevant sustainability factor, all the way to end-of-lifecycle considerations.
Our Production: Including all inputs and outputs (such as water, air, etc.).
Our Value Chain: Particularly focusing on ethics and Scope 3 compensation (ensuring no unacknowledged exported pollution).
New Technologies: CO2 reduction and other research projects.
Social Issues: We evaluate ourselves based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 17) and take a stance on important social issues.

Last but not least: 6. the organization of sustainability efforts in the company What specific impact have you been able to achieve with the measures in this category? What are you particularly proud of? Our wood care manufactory is located in the Altmühltal Nature Park. The way to work takes us through one of the largest contiguous beech forests in Germany. This location and the strong regional ties of our 45 colleagues have shaped our conviction that sustainability is never finished. If we had to pick our top 3 results of the last 5 years, they would probably be the following: Environmental protection We are committed to environmental protection in all areas and are measured by this: We manufacture products from renewable, regional raw materials with the aim of reducing our CO2 footprint to zero. We offset 100% of the footprint that cannot be avoided today in Scope 3. We have our reduction targets reviewed and validated externally as part of the UN Science Based Targets Initiative and ISO 14001. We regularly provide a public account of our successes (and failures), for example in a comprehensive annual sustainability report. Company organization The company organization is the basic prerequisite for real impact improvement. At our company, all colleagues are involved in finding solutions for greater sustainability in their area. This flat organizational structure has proven to be very productive for us. In addition to the development of ever more sustainable products, this has resulted in, for example, break-proof shipping packaging for paints with 50% less cardboard and no plastics, or a new cleaning process for production containers that reduces waste by 80%. For many years, we have also been successfully researching new technologies whose environmental impact does not scale with increasing output and have completely restructured our product development process for this purpose. Our laboratory no longer researches products, but the continuous improvement of the sustainability of the entire raw materials portfolio. The raw materials described (and also newly discovered) are only included in the product formulation when they are suitable for us from a quality and environmental point of view. This ongoing development process has enabled us, for example, to formulate the first 100% oil for outdoor use with a current renewable raw material content of 96%. International cooperation We firmly believe in the power of international cooperation. This is why we regularly work on national and international research projects, currently one on the creation of a central environmental database for the chemical industry and one with the Max Planck Society on the extraction of raw materials from CO2. We also share our knowledge and experience with our market competitors because it makes the entire industry better. And, of course, we involve our supply chain and work closely with suppliers on sustainability and compliance with standards. What or who made this award possible? This question is very easy for us to answer. It is our employees who have initiated the strategy process towards a coherent impact business model, who have driven the company’s development and who have discovered, developed and implemented many small and large improvement measures. This broad foundation was the basis for everything. Finally, what are 3 (or 5 :)) words that define the B Corp movement for you? Together for a better world. About PNZ Holzpflege Manufaktur We have been at home in the idyllic Altmühltal Nature Park for more than 50 years. At PNZ Holzpflege-Manufaktur in Kipfenberg, 45 people work every day to produce the best care products for wood. We have particularly high standards. Both in terms of sustainability in everything we do and the quality of our products. This starts with the extraction of the raw materials, which come from our immediate surroundings as far as possible. In cooperation with the international Climate Neutral Group, we guarantee that our production and logistics are completely CO2-neutral. We are particularly proud of our certification as a holistically sustainable B Corporation, in which both the ecological and social impact of our business activities are subjected to close scrutiny. We show that sustainability is practically feasible. And we want to achieve our major goal: To leave only positive footprints! More information at www.pnz.de About “Best for the World”™ Every year, B Lab recognizes the best performing B Corps. “Best for the World” is awarded to a B Corp-certified company if it ranks in the top 5% globally in its respective size group in one of five impact areas: community, customers, environment, governance and employees. These companies prove that they have successfully integrated the three pillars of sustainability and, as “the best for the world”, are at the forefront of a movement that is driving the transformation of business to a stakeholder-oriented and inclusive economy. This interview previously appeared on Karry Schwettmann’s blog.

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