Published February 18, 2022 | Updated February 18, 2022 | 3 minute read
This month August was recertified as a B Corporation. Originally certified in 2018, we think B Corps are a part of the future of work because they hold companies to a higher standard when it comes to governance structures, how policies support workers, and how the products you make impact the world on a broader scale. We value this certification as a statement of the type of world we’re building and a measure of how we’re living up to our purpose – a capable team for every meaningful mission. We’re excited to share a few highlights on how we’ve improved our score and what makes August stand out from the rest.
This year we recertified with a score of 91.2 - nearly 6 points higher than our original score of 84.9! The minimum score to be certified as a B Corp is 80. Since our first assessment, the B Impact Assessment has added new qualifiers to categories that we scored well on, and we improved as a business. Here are a few of the qualifiers that we are particularly proud of:
- We increased female ownership of our company! We now have 5 partners. 4 out of 5 of our them are women.
- We have adopted (and regularly use) a diverse supplier policy. We didn’t have one in our first go around, and now we do!
- We started some awesome, meaningful charitable giving - which you can read more about here.
There were some other questions that were added that we just happened to do because it’s good for our people and planet - such as unlimited paid time off, generous compensation, and having office space in LEED certified buildings!
There are 6 categories companies are graded on in the B Impact Assessment: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. As a company dedicated to building the future of work for everyone, we feel especially proud to be recognized as one of the Best for the World for Governance, scoring among the top 5% of all B Corps within the Governance category. Here’s how B Corp describes Governance and its importance .
“Though it's not a commonly discussed term, corporate governance impacts everyone. When companies incorporate their mission into the DNA of their company structure, they protect their long-term vision and fully commit to using business as a force for good. The Best For The World in the Governance impact area walk the walk every day through exemplary governance practices, scoring in the top 5% of all B Corps across the globe.”
B Corporations play an important role in shaping the future of work and there are great incentives to getting certified. In addition to signaling your values and how your company is doing good in the world, B Corp members join a vast network of companies. This network includes resources for some of the toughest questions in business or meeting new peers at local B Corp events. If you’ve ever been curious about certification, we can’t recommend it enough. Learn more and join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter of recertification at August!
This post is the first of a new series from August called The Future of Operations. We'll explore what top notch operations practices and policies look like in the Future of Work.
