B Corp: Process and B practices
Our process to become a B Corp was inspired by the book Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, as well as our determination to find ways of becoming a better a company in the terms of how we relate with our community, the environment, and the world.
B Corporations
The B Corp certification is a tool to evaluate and measure our performance as a company, and most importantly, a guide for constant improvement towards a more regenerative business model.
SPHERA joins the community of businesses that, together, are reinventing the traditional business model, balancing profit with purpose. SPHERA was certified by Sistema B, a non profit organization within the B Corp movement, for being a business that meets rigorous social and environmental standards. B Certified businesses operate from the sustainability triple bottom line, not only measuring profit but how it is obtained and who is impacted by it.
The B Corp Certifiication meticulously evaluates the overall operations of a company and five key areas of impact: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. Companies must have an outcome of 80 or more points total in the areas of impact and demonstrate or document socially and environmentally responsible practices such as waste management, energy consumption, water usage, workers wages, diversity policies and company transparency.
The path to certification
SPHERA started the B Corp evaluation process at the end of 2017 with a comprehensive analysis of the company using B Impact Assessment (BIA), a free online and confidential platform. This evaluation tool is used by over 100,000 companies worldwide to assess their impact in the five impact areas and measure how their business model has an effect on people and the environment. The result is then verified by B Lab, an independent entity in the United States.
In 2018, SPHERA formally started the certification process and began a conversation with other companies and people about B Corp in a Rush Hour conversation. In 2019, a working team was assembled, responsible for reviewing all the guidelines, policies and practices to establish a better workplace culture and send in the necessary documentation to be evaluated. At the end of 2020, SPHERA received the B Corp certification, joining a community of ore than 4.000 companies around the world. In Costa Rica, the community keeps growing, with 9 companies organizations already certified.
The recent attention on sustainable design and construction makes SPHERA's B Corp certification a notable step forward for us, with more responsibility and transparency in this sector.
B Corps are not perfect, but through certification they are committed to improving every day
Getting certified is only begging of a path of constant self-evaluation and improvement. In 2021, SPHERA joins the NET ZERO by 2030 initiative as part of its commitment as a B Corp.
The B Corporation certification lasts for a period of 3 years and can then be renewed by completing Impact Assessment B with higher standards. SPHERA would be looking to resubmit for the certification at the end of 2023. It is recommended to to continue measuring impact annually in between certifications.
Photo by Pucci - B Corps of Costa Rica
Policies and B Practices
The certification process was full of challenges, lessons learned and areas for improvement. New policies, practices, and initiatives were included to push the boundaries for how SPHERA does business in 2020, 2021, and beyond. Some of these new implementations were:
Develop a handbook to communicate important policies, rules, procedures, and benefits for the team. The MARR (MEJORAR, ACCIONAR, REGENERAR, RESPETAR) contains useful information to improve team expectations, coherence and transparency for both parts.
Environmental responsibility is linked to social and educational responsibility. SPHERA shares information and sustainable practices through social media as an exponential educational element. Also, every month a Rush Houris organized, this is free programming organized to discuss topics of common interest.
Let My People Go Surfing is a practice that SPHERA implements for the team members to have a half day ‘free’ for personal use twice a month, to give greater flexibility and a better work balance in their lives.
SPHERA promotes respecting the environment, ensuring its protection, promoting its regeneration and learning from it. That is why SPHERA participates in environmental responsibility initiatives with Costas Verdes and promotes sustainable practices with the Sustainable Practices Manual.
The goal and commitment for SPHERA as a B Corp is to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative economic system for all people and for the planet. Always looking to inspire and invite other companies and people to join.
In summary
SPHERA joins the B Corporations community and receives the B Corp certification at the end of 2020. The B Corp certification evaluates and certifies companies that redefine the business model, meeting high standards of social and environmental performance. Having the B Corp seal is a commitment to positively impact five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. More than 4,000 companies in the world are part of the B Corp companies that are building a more inclusive and sustainable economy, inviting more companies to join this movement.
This blog was written by Daniela González, who supported us throughout our certification process. If you want to talk more about this our process, you can contact her through LinkedIn.