Celebrating Liz Earle’s B Corp Certification
February 14, 2025
3 min read
When it comes to issues as big as climate change, the pollution in our oceans, or the inequalities in society, trying to do the right thing can feel like an uphill battle. Even as a botanist obsessed with the natural world, who strives to do his very best - recycling, using public transport, swapping to renewable electricity - I still know that on an individual level my impact is only going be a tiny drop in the ocean compared to the challenges society faces. But what if there was a different way?
Proudly B Corp certified
Having seen first-hand the damage to natural ecosystems around the world in my research, I have always been painfully aware that we really can’t leave things to individuals if we want to change the world. The decisions each of us make are not only tiny in the grand scheme of things, but are constrained by how societies and economies function. In fact, I’d go further: To affect really meaningful change, it is essential that we see a structural shift in how much bigger actors - the companies, multinational corporations and governments - conduct themselves, to allow individuals to be able to play our part. So I was so excited when the team at Liz Earle applied to join an international movement, predicated on the idea that a different kind of economy was not only possible, but necessary.
The Beneficial Corporation (B Corp) movement was set up in 2006 with the goal of harnessing the power of business to ensure high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Companies who sign up have to do a huge amount of work to assess their social, environmental and community impact. Everything from measuring their performance in terms of gender pay gap and the sustainability of their suppliers, to what percentage of their profits are donated to charities.
Only firms with a baseline score of 80 or above are allowed to be part of this prestigious group. On top of that, every three years the accreditation has to be reapplied for, holding its members to ethical account and putting pressure on them to continually, measurably improve the ethical performance of their business. As a skeptical scientist, I find it so reassuring to see this measurable, data driven approach to guarantee that public promises are actually backed by decisive action.
The B Corp movement aims to transform our economic system by balancing profit with purpose. I am excited to know that by becoming a B Corp, we at Liz Earle are not just providing independent verification for our promises, but are committed to continuous improvement. Together, we are shifting our global economy from a system that profits few to one that benefits all, both people and planet. And I am so excited you and I are along for the ride.
“The Beneficial Corporation (B Corp) movement was set up in 2006 to harness the power of business to ensure high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.”
