We’re a B Corp!
Many of you may be wondering what the heck that means and why we’re so excited?
Ever since Rubber Republic was founded we’ve been on a journey of learning.
Over the years we’ve made original comedy, created a viral rap about being a mum, bantered with online trolls for Bodyform, made a life sized TIE Fighter with Colin Furze, and made a hot air balloon in the shape of a pair of flying balls to raise awareness for testicular cancer charity MCAC.
To do this we’ve had to learn how to run a business. One thing that’s become clear to us is that most business advice follows some fairly conventional patterns of constant growth, increasing shareholder value, high leverage, and ethics created for an era of seemingly never ending resources.
To us, growing up in a world of limited resources, huge and radical change, massive transparency and shareholders who move their exchanges closer to internet hubs to save precious milliseconds off them bailing on you, this all now looks a little dated. Why build your entire business to please those who will have your back the least, whilst your employees and the planet that provides your air, water and resources take the hit?
The B Corp movement started in the States but has now grown to over 2400 business globally, and 150 in the UK. The idea is simple – to create a business that benefits not only it’s shareholders, but also it’s employees, the society it operates in, and the planet. Whilst you can profit without doing these things, you can’t really run a business sustainably, and that seems a bit short sighted.
Becoming a B-Corp requires that you undertake an assessment run by the not-for-profit B-Lab, who give your business a score across 5 areas : empowered governance, well treated workers, your community, the environment and treatment of customers.
Existing B-Corporations include Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, organic tea company Pukka Herbs, Triodos bank, eyewear company Warby Parker, Kickstarter, Patagonia and The Big Issue.
It’s a rigorous process and it took us two attempts to pass (we had to put in place some newfangled systems and structures to embed good practice in the business). We have to redo the assessment in 2 years to make sure we don’t let these things wane.
For a generation used to reading headlines like the VW Dieselgate scandal, how Exxon knowingly invested in hiding climate change and how Cambridge Analytica and Facebook essentially profited from rigging a whole election in the worlds largest “democracy”, the idea of a movement to use business for good, seems not only hopeful, but essential in creating a future that isn’t, basically, a bit broken.
So…we’ve become a B Corp. We want to encourage everyone we work with, whether existing clients or new friends, to use business as a force for good. And we want to work with other people and brands who share these values.
We’re not going to be preachy about it. One look at our showreel should give you confidence that’s not how we roll. We want to make it fun.
So. If you want to do business well and have fun, we want to talk to you. We’ve got a lovely badge. Lets turn it into action. Drop us a line and lets chat about making some more fun stuff together!
You can find out more about the B Corp movement here.
Posted By
MattG