Building upon that exciting news, we would like to delve deeper into the key pillars of the B Corp over the coming weeks. Deep diving into our Governance Impact Area to start, which guides our commitment to responsible business practices.
B Corp Certification is a significant achievement for businesses that prioritise responsible and sustainable practices. This certification recognises companies that meet high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency across various areas. As we continue our journey onwards as a certified B Corp at Eight Days a Week Print Solutions (EDWPS) and Eight Plus, we are even more committed to unlocking the power of B Corp Governance.
The Governance Impact Area is one of the key pillars within the B Corp framework. It evaluates a company’s overall mission, engagement, ethics, transparency, and accountability. Let’s explore how we address key areas of this pillar and how they contribute to responsible business practices.
Governance
Governance evaluates a company’s overall mission, engagement around its social and environmental impact, ethics, and transparency. It also examines how a company protects its mission and formally considers stakeholders in decision-making through its corporate structure or governing documents.
We understand the significance of having a clear mission and engaging our stakeholders.
We have implemented a corporate structure and governing documents that protect our mission, engagement, ethics, and transparency. Our board of directors comprises individuals with diverse perspectives and expertise to guide our decision-making processes and hold us accountable. Our dedication to governance is reflected in our exceptional overall score of 9.3 for this pillar of B Corp.
Mission & Engagement
At EDWPS, our mission is centred around providing high-quality printing solutions while minimising our environmental footprint and creating positive social impact. We believe in actively engaging with stakeholders to foster collaboration and inclusivity. By involving relevant stakeholder groups, we ensure that their perspectives and concerns are taken into account. Our commitment to mission and engagement is reflected in our overall score of 2.9 in this area.
Mission Locked
Outside of our mission statement, EDWPS & Eight Plus have legally ensured its social or environmental performance as part of its decision-making over time. By having a Signed Board resolution committing to adopting a legal form that requires consideration of all stakeholders.
Ethics & Transparency
Ethics and transparency are core values to us. We have established a clear code of ethics that guides our business conduct, ensuring integrity and respect for all stakeholders. This code guides our behaviour and ensures that we operate with integrity and respect for all stakeholders. Additionally, we maintain strong whistle-blower policies that encourage employees and stakeholders to report any unethical behaviour or concerns they may have. This commitment to ethics and transparency fosters trust and accountability within our organisation. Our commitment to ethics and transparency is evident in our overall score of 3.9 in this.
Accountability
EDWPS places accountability at the core of our operations. We understand that being accountable means taking responsibility for our actions and the impact we have on society and the environment. To ensure accountability, we integrate social and environmental performance into various aspects of our business. This includes employee training, where we provide comprehensive education on responsible practices and the importance of sustainability.
We also incorporate social and environmental criteria into our manager roles, ensuring that responsible practices are integral to decision-making processes at all levels. Lastly, our board of directors plays a crucial role in overseeing our social and environmental performance, ensuring that our commitment to positive impact is upheld at the highest level of governance.
Transparency
Transparency is a fundamental principle at EDWPS. We believe in being open and honest about our actions and impact. As part of our commitment, we publicly share information about our beneficial ownership, financial performance, social and environmental performance, and the membership of our board of directors. Our dedication to transparency is evident in our ongoing efforts to provide comprehensive and accessible information to stakeholders.
Measuring Impact and Responsible Business
In addition to these, measuring and managing impact is crucial to our responsible business practices. We employ impact metrics, conduct materiality assessments, and set performance targets to ensure that our actions create meaningful change. Our ISO14001 certification further demonstrates our commitment to tracking, recording, and monitoring our environmental impacts, driving continuous improvement in this area.
Thinking of joining the community?
Becoming a certified B Corp is not just a milestone; we see it as an invitation for other businesses to join us in using business as a force for good. The B Corp movement comprises thousands of like-minded organisations. By sharing resources, best practices, and insights, we can collectively create a more sustainable and responsible business world.
Companies interested in joining the movement can start by assessing their practices against the B Corporation standards. These standards evaluate a company’s social and environmental impact, governance, and transparency. Through identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes, businesses can align with the B Corp values and work towards certification.
By embracing the principles of mission, engagement, ethics, transparency, and accountability, we are actively unlocking the power of B Corp Governance. Join us on this journey towards paving a better, more sustainable world. Have a look at our other sustainable efforts as a business.
