FX Inside | 4 minutes

Our future as B Corp: how we make the difference

Caroline Kouwenberg20-07-2022

Purpose is in our DNA. In everything we do, we ensure a positive, sustainable impact on our environment. In our journey of making a difference, we’re in the process of becoming a B Corp: the hallmark for our business as a force for good.

Contribute to a better world

We don’t want to be the next best company to claim to be “sustainable and social”. If we really want to contribute to a better world, we have to be transparent about it. And that’s exactly why we are finding ourselves in the (strict) selection process of becoming a B Corp, a certification that shows that you put purpose above profit. “This is our way of showing that it is perfectly possible to make money ánd care for a better planet,” says Caroline Kouwenberg, one of the B-Camps at FX Agency. “And we hope it inspires others to do the same.”

Strict selection process

Ben & Jerry's and Patagonia are two of the 3600 companies worldwide that are certified as B Corp. But props to our little country as well: Dopper, Tony's Chocolonely, Triodos Bank, WeTransfer and Snappcar are part of the now 90 B Corps in the Netherlands. Caroline explains: “The approval process is tough, it’s not that easy to become a B Corp. The process takes months and the certificate is only awarded to organisations that have scored more than 80 points in the Impact Assessment.”

Unlimited holidays

Before receiving the certification, B Lab assesses companies on five impact areas: Governance, Customers, Workers, Community and Environment. At the start of the assessment, we appeared to be on the right track: we had already collected 50 of the 80 points. We scored particularly well in the area of Workers. “We have a flat organisational structure with little hierarchy, with unlimited holidays and very good terms of employment”, says Caroline. “We value our creative talents, so we do everything we can to ensure they have a great workplace.”

Paperless work and recycling 

We also make a positive, sustainable impact in other areas. Caroline: “We have a local, organic caterer who provides our lunch, we are working paperless and recycling as much as possible. For us these things go without saying, but it's not common in every organisation. At the moment we are also looking at the way we travel: are we able to walk or cycle to the office, or can we take public transport or the electric company car? We take a close look at everything and critically examine how things can be done differently - and therefore better.”

Sustainably strategie

In our process of becoming a B Corp, we get help from Etiquet - a company that helps organisations make their strategy more sustainable. “We have had several brainstorming sessions and conducted an extensive employee satisfaction survey, which resulted in points we have started to work on”, says Caroline. “We also organise internal workshops on diversity and inclusiveness. And when our creatives have some extra time on their hands, they put their talents to work on initiatives such as De Nieuwe Gevers.”

Getting down to business

In 2023, we expect to officially be a B Corp. But that does not mean that the certification is our final destination. At most, it is a tool to take a critical look at ourselves and to continue on this course. Caroline: “B Corps are the future. This is not greenwashing, we are actually getting down to business by putting our entire operations on the table. It ensures that we look very consciously at everything we do, which I think is a huge plus in this process. And it only encourages us to do even better. So that we can really make a difference and keep on making a difference.”