Capitalism’s Plan B: Highly Responsible Companies

The aim of companies is to get maximum profit. reinvest in production. This was from the first companies. However, now, 70% of citizens believe “quite a fewAccording to a study by consulting firm Canvas, companies need to move towards more sustainable and transparent business models. worsens with crises. In 2007, precisely in the context of the Lehman Brothers crisis, three businessmen met in the United States to respond and B Corp created the movement.

In a joint business project, he explains, “environmental values ​​have remained in the background as investors entered.” pablo sanchez, Managing Director of the B Lab Spain foundation. At that time, they formed B Corp, which was slowly advancing. organically expanding worldwide to identify companies that meet verified high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. And although the project tries to shift the focus away from economic benefit, the truth is Companies that overcome this challenge see their job numbers increase by 30%..

It wasn’t until 2018 that it was established in Spain with the B Lab Spain foundation now employing 18 workers. Hand in hand with this organization, like brands Camper, İsdin, Másmóvil, Capsa Food and Chiesi, among more than 200 companies. Successes are widespread: high rates of contracting by local suppliers (94%), use of renewable energy sources (70%), and women in management positions (84%). “These highly responsible companies grew 80% They are expected to exceed 300 by 2022 and this year,” continues Sánchez. There are already 6,300 companies worldwide that hold B Corp certification.

Transition is a challenge

It’s not easy to get the stamp. you should give an answer long survey and pass 80 points out of 200. “Only 2.5% of companies get enough, and the average score is 50,” he says. Sanchez. “For large organizations, it is like a birthplace because it means a 360-degree impact on the value chain, relationship with the environment and society, and transparency,” he emphasizes. Alfredo Gazpio, director of international relations of Danone, the first major company in Spain to receive the certificate. The company, whose initial mission was to provide health to the largest number of people through food, received a seal in a section in Spain in 2016. Since then, it has achieved a 30% reduction in methane gases and opted to install solar panels in its Valencia plant, so that, among other things, all of the plant’s energy has gone green. The director describes it this way:using private resources to solve public problems‘ and ‘a continuous improvement process with no endpoints’.

In fact, these sustainable companies have taken a big step recently, as many countries have done before, with a new legal figure identifying themselves in Spain. In Spain, the Create and Grow Law came into effect on October 19th. interest and common interest communities (SBIC). “This is great progress, but right now there is a blockade because the Ministry of Economy is determined to develop a regulation that sets the conditions for every company to be registered as SBIC, but priority is given to other issues.” explains. Sanchez. Despite this, it is possible to carry out the process and many companies are taking steps.

Certificate every three years

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But improvement must be continuous. “Certification is required every three years.“, featured Ruben Gonzalez-Novel, director of Research and ESG Strategy and B Corp president of 21gramos company. Counseling put to the test for the first time. In 2018, it already scored 82, but this year the score has reached 123. The Madrid company has also managed to go one step further with its approximately 25 employees and become carbon neutral.

Every time consumers buy, They vote for the world they want to be. And in this context, it is getting harder and harder to survive as a company without adapting. “Customers in Spain value companies being responsible for all aspects much more than in other countries,” he says. silivian single, CEO of Motocard. It took a year and a half for his company, which employs 370 people, to achieve this with a score of 40 out of 200. However, in 2022, it became the first company in the sector in Europe to receive this accreditation.