There are a lot of cliches these days about "business as a force for the good". But who among us wouldn’t aspire to running a business that leaves a positive impact on the planet?
That’s easy to talk about, but not so easy to do when you’re faced with the realities of business life, the challenges of hitting targets and paying your bills, not to mention dealing with the impact of the terrible events unfolding in the Middle East at the moment.
But this B Corp Month (March) is still a good time to remember why so many companies in the UK, of all sizes, do make the leap.
TTG Media became B Corp Certified in 2023 after 12 months of preparation, demonstrating rigorous standards of social and environmental performance before being certified by B Lab.
And we haven’t looked back with what was a natural step forward for us after defining our business purpose – for Smarter Better Fairer Travel – in 2019.
'Accountability matters'
The B Corp mark is becoming increasingly understood and seen, whether that’s on the side of a fruit juice bottle in your supermarket or attached to a travel company's website. Put simply, it means we prioritise making the right decisions for the planet and for our people, as much as we do for our profits.
I believe in an era of greenwashing and endless corporate bulls**t (we know, we get the press releases) that accountability matters.
B Corp Certification provides independent verification that besides highlighting the positive impact of travel in our everyday content, our regular Sustainability newsletter and at our annual Fairer Travel Event, we are also living up to these standards ourselves.
The B Corp principles inform how we support our team – from promoting flexible working and professional development to fostering an inclusive culture where people feel ownership and pride at what they do.
Externally, those principles also guide how we design events, and how we run many of our client partnerships and projects such as Sustainable Travel Heroes.
Talking to the chief executive of another B Corp business in the travel industry last week, he recounted a common misconception among their customers – that running a B Corp means you are somehow not interested in making money, or that your business is run as a not-for-profit. This couldn’t be more wrong!
The truth is that the B Corp principles will strengthen your business and personal resilience, making you better to do business with – and ultimately add to your profits too.
'Not a one-time badge'
For TTG Media, our B Corp status has also opened up a whole new set of horizons, and I really appreciate being part of the growing Travel By B Corp collective, led by Rochelle Turner of Intrepid Travel and Thomas Power of Pura Aventura.
For me, an important part of running a B Corp is working with – and supporting – other B Corps, as well as encouraging others to begin the road to attaining the status.
It’s uniting businesses with common values both inside and outside of travel, as well as the individuals that operate them, working together towards common goals.
B Corp isn’t a one-time badge, it’s a framework that continues to shape how we operate every day. More than that, it motivates how we behave as individuals and as a team, who are genuinely inspired to make a positive impact on the industry we serve.
B Corp Month would be a great time to start considering whether B Corp status could be right for your business too.
Daniel Pearce is CEO of TTG Media.
