Clear on Impact, Strong in Process – Share’s Recertification Journey

The Berlin-based company was first certified as a B Corp in 2018. Today, seven years later, share has successfully completed its third certification. With a score of 109.5 points, the team demonstrates that B Corp recertification is not a formal checkbox exercise for share, but an invitation to continued development—both internally and externally.

Focus on impact – strategically designed, operationally implemented

Since the last certification, a great deal has happened at share. At the center is a clear focus on four strategic impact areas: climate impact, supply chain responsibility, packaging, and social projects. In each of these areas, the team has worked systematically not only to generate impact, but also to capture it in a structured way and improve it over time.

1. Climate strategy: share has joined the SME Climate Hub and published its first public climate report. In addition to its absolute CO₂ footprint, the company now also measures its relative footprint—forming the basis for concrete reduction targets. Business travel, office operations, and daily processes were critically reviewed and adjusted. relative footprint forming the basis for concrete reduction targets. Business travel, office operations, and daily processes were critically reviewed and adjusted.

 

2. Supplier management: With a diverse supplier base, share intentionally creates incentives for sustainable practices. The Supplier Code of Conduct now includes commitments for emissions tracking and reduction target-setting, and smaller suppliers receive support in building their own sustainability processes.

 

3. Social Impact: The social mission remains the heart of share. New internal tools—such as an “Impact Manifesto” and a clearly structured impact strategy—ensure transparent criteria for selecting and evaluating projects. The data foundation for impact measurement has been strengthened and made comparable over time.

 

4.Company policies:New policies—such as on ethical marketing or breastfeeding support in the workplace—show that impact at share doesn’t end with the product, but is deeply rooted within the organization.

Impact orientation instead of pure impact measurement

A central theme at share is impact orientation—a strategic approach that goes beyond classical impact measurement. Instead of only evaluating what has happened, share asks: Where can our activities create the greatest positive difference—and what do we need to improve in those areas?

This mindset strongly shapes the collaboration with long-standing partner organizations in social projects. Many partnerships now span several years. This allows for deeper support and adaptation, as well as the systematic development of indicators and SDG linkages. In collaboration with its partners, share develops more impactful approaches and a better understanding of what creates meaningful long-term change.

At the same time, share has adopted a deliberately chosen communication style: sensitive, respectful, and transparent. What began as a single point in the B Impact Assessment evolved into an internal process in which all communication and marketing standards were re-evaluated—from product texts to project descriptions. The resulting internal document now serves as a guiding framework for messaging across all channels.

A structured start – and a motivated team

The kick-off for the recertification process began early at share: as early as August 2024—more than a year before the official deadline—the team started preparing. Why so early? “Many of our teams are extremely busy in the first quarter with year-end processes, audits, or tax reviews,” explains Yvonne Löwenstein, Head of Impact. “Starting early allowed us to work ahead calmly.”

Instead of holding one large meeting, each team received its own individual introduction—with clear onboarding, shared documents, and a realistic view of responsibilities and feasibility. Team leads took ownership and managed their processes independently. “We didn’t want to micromanage; we wanted to give the teams real ownership—and it worked incredibly well,” says Yvonne.

The central coordination tool was a dedicated Asana board containing all five impact areas, deadlines, links, and checklists. The assessment files were also prepared as Google Sheets—with questions, previous answers, potential scores, and a documentation field. This created transparency while ensuring teams didn’t get lost in details.

B Corp as a strategic tool

For share, B Corp certification is more than an award—it is a tool. The assessment provides inspiration, supports benchmarking, and highlights areas where structures can be further developed.

One example is the revised Code of Ethics: in recent months, it was intentionally expanded, aligned with other documents, and integrated into onboarding for new employees. New policies—such as those on ethical marketing or breastfeeding support in the workplace—were also developed, not for the sake of points, but because they make cultural and strategic sense.

The BIA also helps challenge existing structures and encourages forward-looking thinking. share is currently analyzing, together with a Master’s student, which reporting standards (such as GRI or CSRD) best fit its impact—a project initiated by the requirements of recertification.