B CORP
B Corp is short for benefit corporations. The B Corp movement consists of companies that operate according to the principles of sustainable development. They move away from a business model based solely on profit maximization and actively work towards benefiting the environment and society. It is not just a label on product packaging, but a thorough assessment of every aspect of a company's operations.
What is the B Corp certification and movement?
The title of belonging to the B Corp movement is awarded based on a detailed assessment of a company's operations and its impact on the environment. These are companies that care about their employees, corporate governance, and the company's surroundings - they use a significant portion of their profits to solve social or environmental problems.
The certification process for companies is managed by B Lab, an independent non-profit organization that brings together experts to evaluate operational practices and business impact in five areas: customers, environment, communities, governance, and employees. Every company that joins the movement must undergo a recertification process every three years. This allows them to continuously monitor and improve their progress in implementing their ESG strategy. This means that B Corp brings together companies that maintain the highest standards of sustainable development practices.
The B Corp certification is only awarded to organizations that meet strict requirements. Currently, more than 9,400 companies from 105 countries, mainly from Western Europe and the USA, can boast this certification.
The B Corp movement is still relatively unknown. In 2006, three graduates from Stanford University decided to examine the actions of companies in the areas of social responsibility and environmental care. This led to the creation of the B Corp movement, which brings together companies with a mission to improve the world. These companies do not compete with each other; instead, they strive to be the best for the world, not the best in the world.
All DANONE companies in Poland have joined the B Corp movement
The motto of the B Corp movement, "Using business as a force for good," aligns with the One Planet. One Health vision, which guides all of the company's actions towards caring for people's health and the planet. This is why one of the company's nine global goals is to achieve B Corp certification for all DANONE companies worldwide.
In September 2024, all entities within the DANONE group of companies in Poland joined the international Benefit Corporations movement and received B Corp certification. In the stringent external verification process, we achieved an impressive score of 108.7 points (which is 30% more than the required minimum!), enabling the DANONE group of companies to fulfill its commitment to certify all its companies by the end of 2025 well ahead of schedule. The awarding of this prestigious form of verification to Nutricia and Żywiec Zdrój, as well as the recertification of Danone, confirms their commitment to using business as a tool for implementing positive social and environmental changes.
Belonging to this movement also comes with a commitment: by 2030, the company will implement new practices and programs related to health aspects and the protection and renewal of the planet's resources.
– Joining all DANONE companies to the Benefit Corporations movement, which brings together global ESG leaders, is a great honor for us. It is proof that we care about sustainable development in every dimension of our operations, implement our strategy, and have concrete, verified evidence of this. It is also a commitment that we will continue to undertake activities that have a positive impact on people, including local communities, the environment in which we live, monitor the supply chain, offer products and services that support consumers in their daily lives, and create friendly workplaces. Our values and high standards will not take a back seat. We are convinced that we will meet this challenge, as it aligns with the DANONE companies' sustainable development strategy 'Path of Positive Impact,' the mission of bringing health through food to as many people as possible, and the vision of One Planet. One Health – says Paweł Piątek, Managing Director of the DANONE group of companies in Poland.
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