From the very beginning one of our key objectives was to achieve B Corp status. Over the last decade B Corp has become the ultimate badge of honour for brands aspiring to show off their eco-friendly credentials and ethical practices. It's the golden ticket to the sustainable chocolate factory, a tempting way to tell the world, "Look at us, we're officially the good guys!" But here at Floragy Skincare, after some deep thinking (and a fair bit of tea and cake), we’ve consciously decided that pursuing B Corp certification isn’t for us. Before you spill your cuppa in shock, allow us to explain...

The Temptation of the B Corp Badge

No doubt, B Corp certification has its appeal. It clearly communicates a company's sustainability and ethical credentials, enhances consumer trust, and opens doors to valuable networking opportunities, think of it as the eco-friendly equivalent of an exclusive invite to the cool kids' table. Certification helps brands stand out in crowded markets, reinforces their dedication to people, planet, and profit, and can be particularly appealing since many eco-conscious shoppers prefer to support exclusively B Corp-certified businesses.

Resource Allocation: A Practical Reality Check

But, and it's a rather big but, achieving this prestigious stamp requires considerable resources. And let’s be honest, we're a tiny team of three, fuelled mostly by enthusiasm and caffeine. The rigorous assessment, documentation, and continuous audits demanded by B Corp are no small feat. Every hour and penny spent ticking off compliance boxes could instead go directly towards enhancing our sustainable sourcing, innovating natural skincare products, or investing back into our local community.

Flexibility and Authenticity: Keeping it Real

Certification inevitably involves adhering to externally set standards and metrics. While these benchmarks are broadly beneficial, they might not always align perfectly with our quirky, ever-evolving Floragy way of doing things. One of our greatest strengths as a small independent business is our agility, the ability to pivot quickly, respond genuinely to our community's needs, and innovate creatively. Without rigid frameworks, we can freely grow and adapt, staying authentically ‘us’.

Supply Chain Transparency: Digging Deeper

Another sticking point is that B Corp certification doesn’t always offer thorough scrutiny when it comes to supply chain transparency, especially regarding ingredient sourcing. As skincare fanatics obsessed with traceability, knowing exactly where and how our ingredients come from is crucial to us. Trusting external verification systems that might lack rigorous oversight feels slightly uncomfortable, akin to trusting your beloved skincare routine to someone who doesn't fully appreciate the magical powers of Camellia Oil.

Greenwashing: When Big Corp Wears B Corp

Then there's the tricky issue of greenwashing. As B Corp has become increasingly more fashionable, large corporations (you know, those with budgets that dwarf our dreams) are jumping onto the bandwagon. Unfortunately, some are merely using certification as an eco-friendly cloak, allowing them to polish their image without genuinely changing their practices. When big companies treat B Corp like an easy eco-filter for Instagram, it undermines trust, and as consumers ourselves, we totally get why that raises eyebrows.

Demonstrating Genuine Impact: Actions Over Badges

At Floragy, we’re firm believers that actions speak louder than logos. Real transparency, meaningful storytelling, and tangible evidence of sustainable practices resonate far deeper with our customers than any badge ever could. We prefer proving our commitment through openness and tangible results, nurturing relationships built on genuine trust rather than relying on external validation alone.

Weighing the Trade-offs: An Honest Balance

Admittedly, not pursuing B Corp status means we miss out on some potential perks, instant credibility, community prestige, and a seat at certain networking events. But we believe this decision allows us greater freedom to innovate, maintain authenticity, and direct our limited resources towards impactful projects and real sustainability.

Our choice to say "No, thank you!" to B Corp certification in no way diminishes our dedication to ethics, sustainability, and positive impact. Instead, it highlights our conscious, strategic choice to remain agile, genuinely transparent, and wholeheartedly committed to meaningful action.

We hope you’ll appreciate and perhaps even applaud our decision to prioritise authenticity over accolades, genuine impact over glossy certifications, and practicality over prestige badges. After all, when it comes to skincare (and sustainability), sometimes you have to trust your gut, even if it doesn't come with a fancy logo.