As a circular brand, we are pleased to announce that we are now a certified B Corporation! As a small but growing brand, we are beyond thrilled to have met the highest standards for social and environmental performance after a long 9-month journey that began in March 2022. To put it into numbers, over 100,000 businesses have signed up for the B Corp Impact Assessment since its launch in 2006, and only 3,500 companies are B Corp certified. It was certainly meant to B!
“Being able to welcome UpCircle to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Their commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit."- Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK
Being B Corp certified was not an easy feat so here is what our team members involved have got to say:
Anna Brightman, co-founder:
"I cannot express how incredible it is to officially be B Corp certified! Knowing that the median score for ordinary businesses is 50.9 and that we achieved 96.3 gives weight to our words when we promise that UpCircle is a brand that puts the planet first. Out of all the certifications we’ve applied for, we’re most proud to have been verified by B Lab, because to us, B Corp certification is not just about B Corp certification – it’s about our mission to make the beauty industry accessible and responsible. To call this a significant endeavour is an understatement. We are looking forward to sharing our sustainable and social attributes through the B Corp movement and inspiring our customers. This is only the beginning!”
Sophie Jones, Account Manager:
“I’ve managed this process from start to finish so I am THRILLED that we are officially B Corp Certified. As a company with strong values and sustainability attributes, we're delighted to have been recognised through such a prestigious (and thorough!!) certification. Through the B Corp movement, we are excited to share our commitment to society and the environment beyond just high-performance skincare."
The B-Corp Journey...
Stage one:
We had to complete the initial B Impact Assessment (BIA) which is a lengthy questionnaire with over 200 questions, encompassing all areas of business: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. This Assessment was then evaluated and reviewed by an analyst to ensure we were eligible for the certification.
Stage two:
The next stage was verification. We had to provide supporting documents to our claims made in the assessment and wait for proof to be verified.
Stage three:
We achieved a verified score of 96.3 points making us a certified B Corp company! This high score puts us among some of the highest-scoring beauty brands globally.
Why we applied to be B-Corp certified?
We decided to apply for B Corp Certification to measure our social and environmental performance. We measured our financial performance from the beginning but wanted to ensure we were high performing in all aspects. B Corp is also a great incentive for us to follow our corporate social impact and track our progress. Differentiation in a crowded market is important so we wanted to stand out and help our consumers understand our social and environmental attributes. In addition, B Corp also allows us to be transparent about how we function and shows what we stand for. It is a rigorous process, but it means we can be open and honest in a meaningful way.
