NooS is B Corp! B what ? Here is everything you need to know about the B Corp movement and how to become part of it.

It is no longer the exception. According to our study, 84% of French people expect companies to commit to major social and environmental issues.

And companies are well aware of this! “Business for good” is now at the top of the agenda for many companies. Going beyond profit and having a positive impact on society and the environment is no longer an option. It is a corporate priority.

But the clock is ticking! How can we accelerate this movement for commitment?

The B Corp movement supports companies that want to become not the best in the world, but the best for the world.

B what?

In 2006, Bart Houlahan, Jay Coen Gilbert and Andrew Kassoy, 3 American entrepreneurs, created the B Corp movement. Their vision? Companies can (and should) be a “force for good”. They founded the B Lab association which awards the B Corp label. A certification for for-profit companies that want to improve and prove their positive impact by going through a rigorous assessment process every 3 years.

Today, the B Corp label is recognised worldwide. It federates a new generation of committed companies that meet rigorous standards of performance, CSR and transparency.

There are now 5 424 certified B Corp companies in the world. And more than 200 in France. Whatever their size, whatever their country, whatever their sector, these companies are united around a single objective: to make the world a better place.

Less blah blah, more commitment

After greenwashing, beware of purpose-washing! Mission-driven companies are multiplying as well as companies’ written declarations to serve the greater good. Yet do these declarations come with real and concrete commitment?

That is the purpose of the free B Corp impact assessment tool. The Business Impact Assessment (BIA) is a questionnaire that allows companies of one year or more to bring their mission to life and assess their performance. Made out of 200 questions, it addresses 5 main areas ⬇️

Becoming a B Corp is no easy task! While the BIA is used by more than 150 000 companies, only 5 424 hold B Corp certification. All certified B Corp companies’ scores are available to all here. A minimum overall score of 80 points on the questionnaire is required to become part of the B Corp community.

Indeed, beyond a label, B Corp is also a community. B Corp certified companies are interdependent and have access to a network of companies that share the same values.

And NooS in all of this?

In June 2022, NooS became B Corp! We are so proud to embody what we advocate for everyday: a company committed to the well-being of the planet and society.

María, our Chief Impact Officer, explains the B Corp process and shares her tips to get started! ⬇️

Why go through the B Corp certification process?

“Becoming B Corp was about going beyond our mission to help companies commit. To embody what we stand for. To examine and adjust our own ecosystem to meet the core values that guide us daily”

When did NooS start its application process?

“We completed the B Impact Assessment from April to June 2021.

Then from June 2021 to June 2022, we were in conversation with the B Lab to provide additional information and evidence as well as to refine our answers.

We finally received, with great joy, the positive answer in June 2022 just after we returned from our team-building seminar!”

3 tips on the B Impact Assessment ?

1.“It’s a long and demanding process. But this rigour is reassuring!”

2. “Gathering all the necessary information requires a lot of coordination between all team members. You have to involve the whole team in the process from the beginning.”

3. “Keep an open mind. Don’t take it as a test. But as a source of ideas for improvement. The final score is not the most important thing, if not the reflection it triggers.”

1 specific challenge?

“One challenge was to calculate the positive impact of NooS itself. Our misson is to boost the positive impact of our partner companies and organisations. Where does our own impact begin and end?”

1 key learning?

“We don’t know everything. Completing the B Impact Assessment already triggers change in the company. It raises awareness about and addresses a multitude of ways to generate positive impact.

For instance, it has encouraged us to include our commitment to diversity and inclusion in our job offers and to further promote parity within our team.”

What now?

“Getting the B Corp label is a great achievement! But it’s not the end. We are on the right track, but we can always do better.

In three year’s time, we will have to renew our B Corp certification. By then, we hope to have put in place new actions within our own ecosystem and improve our score!”

Our B Impact Score

And you, are you ready to get started on your own B Corp adventure? To B or not to B… Now that’s a good September resolution!