B Corp Month 2024: This Way Forward
To celebrate B Corp month, we’ve been reflecting on this year’s theme: this way forward. Having recently attended Assembly 2024, the first in-person gathering of B Corps across Australia and Aotearoa in over five years, we’re even stronger in our belief that the way forward is together.
The event was a pertinent reminder about the importance of collaboration in doing business better, and that while there’s a lot of work to be done, none of us are going at it alone. The prevailing mood was one of determination, committed to continue to collaborate and learn from each other as we build a new economy.
Connecting with like-minded businesses, and being able to support each other through the work we do, is a reason we love being a part of the B Corp community.
As we think more about moving forward collaboratively, we wanted to share some of the ways we are already working with a number of local B Corp certified businesses in Aotearoa, and the impact they too are creating through the work they do, too.
Brightly + Good Sense
GoodSense focuses on using marketing as a force for good. In a world with increasingly misleading messaging and greenwashing, GoodSense works with organisations whose products or services benefit nature or people, helping them stand out through an ethical and sustainable approach to strategy and outcomes. GoodSense gained B Corp certification in 2022, and Brightly have been proud to support them with cloud migration and IT support, as well as working together to grow and support the B Local community in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Brightly + DNA
DNA design and deliver digital, human-centred experiences that help businesses and government unlock new ideas and opportunities and achieve growth. Behind their desire for creating transformative experiences for customers (and their employees), is a stronger driving purpose to make Aotearoa a better place - more equitable, more inclusive, more sustainable and more productive. DNA became a certified B Corporation in 2022.
Brightly provide on-going IT management and support for DNA across Aotearoa and love working alongside their team. (See what Anna Bayliss, DNA Operations Director has to say about working with us in the clip below)
Brightly + Toitū
In February 2023, Brightly became certified as a Toitū climate positive organisation. Toitū carbon and environmental certification programmes, based on science, help businesses realise their own operational efficiencies, reduce their carbon footprint and and improve sustainable practices through measurable progress. Toitū’s audit process gave us a clear picture of our footprint, and where we needed to focus on improvements. It enabled us to put steps in place to further reduce emissions where needed. Toitū first achieved B Corp certification in 2019, with recertification in 2022.
Brightly + Kiwibank
A familiar name for Kiwis, Kiwibank is an Aotearoa-owned bank and financial services provider (the fifth largest bank in the country). As a B Corp certified organisation, they’re using banking as a force for good, finding a balance between purpose and profit. Kiwibank have strong policies around ensuring the business is governed in a way that is ethical, responsible and delivers positive outcomes for people and planet. Kiwibank joined the B Corp community in 2021.
We chose to work with Kiwibank when we started the business to ensure that we were supporting a local bank who live their values and retain profits within Aotearoa. As our business has grown, it's been fantastic to have their support too, and great to see initiatives such as the Kiwibank Sustainable Business Loans bring better lending opportunities to B Corps and others working on climate and environmental impact projects.
Brightly + Kin
Kin are a recruitment firm with a truly people-centered approach. Kin work on a transparent pricing model where you pay for their services on a time and materials basis, rather than a placement fee.
Our people are the heart our of business, and when it comes to finding a diverse range of candidates we love working with a recruitment firm who understand what we’re all about.
B Local community
We learn so much from our wider B Local Tāmaki Makaurau community and love connecting with businesses through our regular events. This month, in honour of B Corp Month, we’re coming together on Thursday March 21st with a panel discussion featuring B Corps as they share their inspiring journeys towards enhancing business practices. (Find out more and get your free ticket here.)
If you’re a member of the B Local community and keen to be more involved in local events, also keep your eye out for a workshop being held at Futures Lab on Wednesday 10th April.
The way forward is together
It is clear that our future is in working together, that we must hold each other to account, use business as a force for good, and our voices to support democracy. We have a lot to learn and a lot to do, and the way forward is together.
If you’re curious about becoming a B Corp, we’re always happy to share our own experience. We’d also love to partner with more organisations within the B Corp community and collaboratively use our businesses as a force for good - reach out to start the conversation.