Behind our B Corp Certification.

While we make some pretty awesome cups here at decent, this B Corp month we want to look beyond the cup and dive into the nitty gritty of our recent B Corp certification.

We sat down with our General Manager Fraser, to chat about what being a B Corp means to us, some of the learnings made along the way, and what's next for decent.

First of all, can you summarise what a B Corp is? 

I’m gonna let the B Corp website explain this one as they can do it better! Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, envision a better economic system where businesses can benefit people, communities, and the planet. They choose long-term investments over quick wins, and measure their success based on the positive impact they create.

What was the motivation to become B Corp certified?

Since our inception we have always strived to do ‘better’ business. Initially, we didn't see the value of a certification for this, as we've walked these values since day one. But when we learnt about what a B Corp was, we were really impressed, and respected what it stood for. It wasn’t just a ‘tick box’ certification like some others, and it really aligned with what we were wanting to achieve. After a few false starts (and a pandemic!) we were certified in October of 2023 and couldn’t be prouder.

Now that decent packaging is officially a B Corp, what does this mean to decent?

It's really special to now be a part of the B Corp community. There are businesses that we have admired from afar, and to be included amongst them is truly an honour. B Corp is also a mark of social and environmental responsibility - sustainability has always been our bread and butter so it's awesome to be acknowledged for our extra efforts in being an all-round good business. Now, more than ever, businesses are being reviewed and scrutinised, and to do the scrutinising internally on ourselves was a really important process as we grow as a brand, and into more global markets.
 

Can you explain a bit about the process of becoming B Corp certified?

Well, it is a journey - and it starts with the B Impact Assessment Tool where you need to answer questions in relation to impact areas of the business. These areas are: Governance, Workers, Community, the Environment, and Customers. Each area has a minimum standard that needs to be met, as well as a minimum score across them all. That minimum standard is 80 points, and we are super proud to have scored 103.9 in our first assessment. 

What have been the biggest learnings that you have had on the road to becoming B Corp certified? 

The initial B Impact Assessment Tool is a great way to look critically at the business - it basically highlights areas where you do well, and where there is room for improvement. The pleasantly surprising thing while undertaking this process was that we had a lot of the systems and ways of working already in place, but without the formal filing and reporting involved! Reporting is a big learning for us and is crucial to have for the B Corp certification process! The framework helped form internal review processes and acted as a guide on what a ‘good’ business should be. Like anything, the certification process will evolve over time and when our next review comes around (re-certification is every 3 years) there will be more learnings, but that's the part of it which we love.

What would be your advice to those looking to become B Corp certified?

Start the process! In fact, I think that the assessment tool is a great thing to read through for all stages of businesses. Whether you are just starting out or an already established business, the questions will give you invaluable clarity on either what you want your business to be, or where the areas of improvement currently are. It’s a great way to review and look inward which sometimes can fall off the radar.

What is next for decent?

We will continue to ramp up in our current (and new) global markets. With our new partnerships, we would love to be a force in the North American and European specialty coffee scene. And while I may be biased, our main focus still remains right here - continuing to support and show love to our New Zealand coffee community.

@decentpackagingnz