Becoming a B Corp: How Sustainable Travel Boosts Your Score
In the corporate world, “doing good” is no longer just a marketing slogan that can be added to a list of company values.
Instead, it’s a measurable, reportable framework that asks businesses to prove their impact – not just promise it.
Becoming a certified B Corporation (B Corp) signals that your company meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
To celebrate 10 years of the B Corp movement in the UK, we’re taking a look at how sustainable travel fits in, and how CycleSaver can help boost your B Corp status.
What is a B Corp?
A B Corporation (B Corp) refers to companies that balance purpose and profit.
Certified by the global non-profit, B Lab, B Corps commit to using business as a force for good – taking responsibility for their impact on people, communities, and the planet.
Now marking 10 years of B Corp in the UK, the movement has grown from a handful of companies to thousands across every sector – all united by a shared belief that business can drive positive change.
Unlike traditional sustainability claims, the B Corp certification is independently verified and globally recognised. It goes beyond meaningless environmental pledges to assess how a company treats its workers, manages its supply chain, supports local communities, and makes governance decisions.
In short, being a B Corp means your business doesn’t just say it cares about sustainability and ethics, it can actually prove it.
Why get B Corp certified?
B Corp certification doesn’t just make your brand look good, it makes your business better. Here’s why more and more UK companies are looking to achieve their B Corp status:
- Attract and retain top talent: Today’s workforce want to work for companies with real values. Being a B Corp shows prospective employees that you don’t just talk the talk, you walk the walk too.
- Boost customer loyalty: Ethical, sustainable brands tend to outperform their competitors on trust and long-term customer engagement.
- Future-proof your business: With tightening ESG regulations, being a B Corp ensures your operations are already aligned with best practice.
How to become B Corp certified
Getting certified as a B Corp isn’t just about ticking boxes, it’s about showing that your business genuinely balances profit with purpose. Here’s what’s involved:
- Complete the B Impact Assessment: You’ll start your B Corp journey by filling out an online questionnaire called the B Impact Assessment (BIA). It looks at how your business performs across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. To qualify, you’ll need to score at least 80 out of 200 points – to prove that your positive impact is measurable, not just marketing.
- Update your company’s legal documents: You’ll need to update your Articles of Association to include a legal commitment to consider people and the planet alongside profit.
- Show your working: B Lab, the non-profit behind B Corp, will review your answers and ask for evidence to back up your claims – including things like employee benefits policies, environmental policies, or community initiatives. This step ensures transparency and credibility.
- Keep improving: Once certified, your work isn’t done. You’ll need to renew your certification every three years, showing how you’ve continued to improve and raise your impact score over time.
There is also a certification fee applicable, which varies depending on your company’s size and annual turnover.
How CycleSaver and sustainable travel can help you become a B Corp
Sustainable commuting initiatives, like CycleSaver’s flexible salary sacrifice subscriptions directly contribute to your Environment and Workers scores in the B Impact Assessment.
By introducing a salary-sacrifice benefit for bike sharing schemes, you’re:
- Reducing carbon emissions
- Encouraging active travel
- Demonstrating measurable impact
- Promoting a benefit that’s easily accessible for all employees
In short, CycleSaver helps turn your sustainability goals into tangible, reportable outcomes – contributing to your B Corp score while improving employee wellbeing.
B Corp certification is about building a business that balances purpose and profit. Sustainable travel, including initiatives like CycleSaver, can make that balance easier than ever to achieve.
By encouraging your workforce to make greener commutes a part of everyday life, you’re not only improving your environmental impact but also building a healthier, happier workforce.
Ready to get started on your B Corp journey and introduce more sustainable commuting options for your employees?
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