“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Wise words, from a very wise man, and something we strongly believe here at Solve. The world is currently plagued with social, economic and environmental problems which are caused largely by big businesses gobbling up profits at the expense of people and the planet. This has to change if we want to create a more sustainable future, and we’re proud to be part of that change.
Joining the force for good
As we entered the new decade, we were thrilled to be awarded B Corporation™ (B Corp™) Certification, joining a new way of thinking and a global movement of people using business as a force for good™.
We worked hard to reach this goal and we were honoured to fulfil the many requirements needed to achieve the globally recognised certification. As a B Corp, we meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental impact, and we consider our team, clients, suppliers, community and the environment in everything we do.
Through our work with B Corp, we hope to inspire others to use their businesses for good too and join this change-making community.
Here’s what it means to be a B Corp.
What is a B Corp?
B Corp is a community of like-minded leaders who make tackling economic, environmental and social problems part of their commercial objectives, creating a more sustainable business culture. By harnessing the power of business, B Corps commit to positively impact all stakeholders – workers, communities, customers and of course our planet.
“Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”
B Lab
B Corps like us believe in a better way of doing business – one that balances purpose and profit.
We’re setting an example that businesses can be financially sustainable, while being sustainable for people and the planet too.
What does it mean to be a B Corp?
Being a B Corp means that a company recognises the biggest social, environmental and economic problems we face nowadays cannot be solved by government and nonprofits alone. B Corps like Solve are committed to tackling issues like inequality, poverty and climate change. They provide high-quality employment and they actively work towards building better communities.
B Corps agree to uphold the Declaration of Interdependence, which states:
- That we must be the change we seek in the world.
- That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.
- That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.
- To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.
What are the benefits of being a B Corp?
1. Leading with purpose
B Corps are committed to balancing purpose and profit, and they promote this more sustainable business culture to the rest of the world.
2. Transparency
B Corps adhere to stringent transparency standards, ensuring they conduct their business openly and honestly. This helps build trust with clients, partners, employees and more.
3. Accountability
To become a certified B Corp, companies have to change their governance to ensure they consider the impact of their practices on employees, customers, community and the environment. And they’re legally accountable to uphold this, demonstrating the highest level of commitment to the cause.
4. Globally recognised values
B Corp Certification is a public declaration of a company’s social and environmental values that’s recognisable the world over – by consumers, partners and investors alike.
5. A community of like-minded businesses
B Corps are a global community of trailblazing companies who share, learn, grow and work collaboratively, setting the gold standard for the future of business.
If you want to know more about how being a B Corp benefits our clients, check out our B Corp page.
How many certified B Corps are there?
In Jan 2022, there were just over 4000 B Corps in the world, from over 70 countries, across 150 different industries. Certified B Corps range from multinational corporations to small, local businesses. B Corp is a growing community of changemakers.
B Corp Certification is highly selective though. Companies must meet strict standards of social and environmental impact, and then, must undergo verification every three years to maintain their certification.
How do you become a certified B Corporation?
To become a B Corp, companies have to meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Their whole business is analysed, not just their products or services. The B Corp Impact Assessment measures performance in terms of governance, workers, customers, community and the environment. From everyday practices to environmental initiatives, from employee benefits to community involvement, B Corp Certification ensures businesses meet the highest standards, always.
You can find out more about the certification process on the B Corporation website.
B Corp Certification is administered by B Lab™
Source: Captivating Capital
What is B Lab™?
B Lab is a non-profit that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good. B Lab’s goal is to change the role of business, creating a more balanced economy and shared prosperity for all.
B-ing the change
The internet generates around one billion tonnes of greenhouse gases a year, which is roughly 2% of global CO2 emissions – about the same as air travel.
As a leading SEO and web design company, we’re not naive to the staggering amount of energy our industry produces. And we understand the importance of looking after the health and well-being of our specialist team too.
Here are just a few of the ways we strive to ‘B the change’ and uphold our B Corp values:
We plant much-needed trees:
- We actively plant trees to offset carbon emissions. We plant 100 trees per month, and we plant them for all new projects as well. We even sent out hundreds of trees as Christmas presents this year. Instead of cutting down trees for cards, we planted them instead. These trees help tribes in developing countries with income, food, medicine and shelter.
We love our team:
- We’re a Living Wage Employer. We believe in paying our team a fair wage that accurately reflects the current cost of living.
- We promote health, well-being and happiness within our team by doing things like daily stretch and flex, regular mindfulness practice, creating health plans, working collaboratively, and getting outside as much as we can, doing activities like paddleboarding and sea safaris.
- We’re also a sociable bunch. Everyone has a special birthday celebration, we meet up regularly after work to let off steam, and we even partake in the odd, sneaky pasty lunch together.
We’re saving power:
- Websites use power 24/7/365! Our servers are powered by renewable energy, and we offer eco-friendly web hosting. This ensures that, while our clients’ sites are making a big impact online, they’re not having a big impact on the environment.
We’re improving our local environment:
- Our office is solar-powered.
- We have mood-lifting, energy-efficient lighting.
- Our office is filled with lush greenery, cleansing the air and putting fresh oxygen back into our atmosphere.
- We are planting trees and an orchard locally.
We’re helping the planet:
- We recycle as much as we possibly can and use eco-friendly products around the office.
- We use our own compostable containers at our local lunch spot.
- We minimise travel to keep our carbon footprint down.
- We plant 100 trees every month
- We plant trees for our clients to represent growth
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We care:
- We support a number of national and local charities like Surfers Against Sewage.
- We’re founding members of community projects like the St Eval Land Project.
- We offer discounted rates to select charitable causes.
- And many more…
How did we hear about B Corp?
Matt Hocking from Leap inspired us to be a B Corp while we were on an Unlocking Potential / Future Focus trip with a group of leading Cornwall creatives. Matt is a changemaker striving for a positive global impact.
The sooner we protect the environment from the way it’s currently being destroyed for profit, the better. We’re all on a mission ⚡.
But there’s still more to do…
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, but there’s still lots to come. We’re incredibly excited to be working with other forward-thinking B Corps and can’t wait to see what the future brings.
The Better Business Act is an important step in the right direction for sustainable and ethical professional practices to drive better business. Encouraging businesses to adopt more sustainable practices can help protect our environment and create a more equitable future for all. We urge all businesses to support this act and pledge to do our part to make it a success by supporting the better business experts where we can. If you would like to find out more, please read our ‘Why we support the Better Business Act‘ blog.
B Corp is really taking off. More and more companies like us are realising that the future of business is one that focuses on turning the world into a better place, rather than turning a profit at its expense. And we hope to inspire the power of good in others too.
If you want to make a difference and help build a more sustainable future, then join us in the community for good – it will have a positive impact on you and all that is around you.
p.s – Don’t just take our word for it. We were recently rated as one of the top sustainable marketing agencies!
