🍎 A Message from Jolyon Olivier: Understanding B Corp Certification

Hello there! As the owner of Napton Cidery, I'm often asked about our B Corp certification. It's a badge we're incredibly proud to wear, but what exactly does it mean for us, and more importantly, for you, the consumer?

🌿 It's More Than Just Profit

In simple terms, B Corp stands for Certified B Corporation. It’s a designation given to for-profit companies that voluntarily meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Think of it this way: a traditional company focuses primarily on maximizing profit for its shareholders. A B Corp, however, is legally required to consider the impact of its decisions not just on shareholders, but on all stakeholders. This includes:

  • Our workers

  • Our customers

  • The community where we operate

  • The environment

It’s about balancing purpose and profit. We believe that business should be a force for good.

âś… The Rigorous Standard

Becoming a B Corp isn't easy—and that's the point! It’s not just a self-declared label; we have to meet a very high bar set by a non-profit organization called B Lab.

We had to go through a rigorous assessment, called the B Impact Assessment, which scrutinizes five key areas of our business:

  1. Governance: How we manage our overall mission and ethics.

  2. Workers: Our contribution to our employees’ financial security, health, and well-being.

  3. Community: Our involvement with and impact on the local economy and non-profits.

  4. Environment: Our efforts in managing resources, reducing emissions, and using sustainable ingredients.

  5. Customers: How we serve our customers and ensure quality and ethical marketing.

We must score a minimum number of points on this assessment to certify, and then we have to re-certify every three years to prove we are still maintaining those high standards.

🤝 What Does This Mean for You?

When you choose a Napton Cidery product with the B Corp logo, you’re not just buying a great cider. You're supporting a company that is:

  • Verified: Our claims are externally audited and proven.

  • Accountable: We are legally committed to our social and environmental mission.

  • Transparent: We share information about our performance publicly.

Ultimately, B Corp certification is our way of showing you that we’re serious about making a positive impact with every bottle of cider we produce. It's an assurance that your purchase is supporting a business that cares about people and the planet as much as it cares about the product.

Thank you for choosing to be part of our journey!

Would you like to know more about the specific steps Napton Cidery has taken to meet the environmental requirements for B Corp certification?

Jolyon Olivier