The Guardian reports:
Natura, Brazil’s top cosmetics, fragrance and toiletries maker, this week became the largest – and first publicly traded – company to attain B Corps sustainability certification.
The certification program, which is run by B Lab, is designed to encourage high standards of environmental and social stewardship and transparency among businesses.
Until now, in some ways, B Corps has seemed like a noble – if limited – experiment, a method for ideologically driven companies to pursue sustainability while still surviving in a business environment that is red in tooth and claw.
While the program has had considerable growth – currently, there are more than 1,170 B Corps businesses located across 37 countries – the majority are small and privately owned. The question arises: for all the good that the B Corps does, can it appeal to major economic players?
Natura’s recent move suggests that the answer is yes. And the Brazilian company isn’t the only prominent, well-funded business that has recently sought certification. Earlier this month, crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and energy company Green Mountain Power both announced that they have attained B Corps certification.
Both companies are strong players in their respective fields. In March 2014,Kickstarter passed the $1bn mark in lifetime funding – and over half of that money was raised