'Can your business really afford NOT to seek a quality mark like B Corp?'
To B Corp or not to B Corp? We Are Llama’s John Pritchard weighs up the pros and cons for travel of seeking B Corp certification as the standard becomes more common.
As the travel industry works towards embracing sustainability and responsibility as business and brand imperatives, it’s increasingly turned to B Corp certification as a way to get – and keep – its house in order.
Of the 2,000 B Corp Certified businesses in the UK, more than 400 are either in – or are linked to – the travel sector. Barely a week seems to go by without a travel business announcing secured the coveted accolade.
Many early adopters are now creating dedicated roles to ensure that having achieved the standard, they stay on track – B Corp Certified businesses and brands have to re-certify every three years.
But as a statement of commitment to operating ethically, is B Corp’s growing ubiquity diluting the authority certification infers? Is it something a travel agency or business should still be aspiring to achieve? What benefits does it bring? Does it make a difference to customers? And with the certification criteria expected to tighten in 2025, is it really worth it?
There are already signs some brands are losing faith in their B Corp missions, one example being Dutch travel brand Better Places, which has decided not to renew its certificate.
B Corp stands for Benefit Corporation, an entity formed in the US during the mid-2000s. Its mission was to set a gold standard by which businesses could prove their commitment to responsible governance by navigating an assessment process that scrutinises businesses whole supply and value chain.
In addition to this, it was a commitment to their employees, customers, the environment, their community and the communities they serve.
Successful applicants now join more than 8,500 other members of the B Corp movement, a number that has increased tenfold since 2020.
As someone who has successfully navigated that process and now helps other brands do the same, I’m well placed to help agents, marketers and sustainability leads in the travel industry to answer the key question – "is this something we should have?".
What’s the mindset needed to approach the assessment, the costs it incurs and resources it demands? And for travel’s SMEs already struggling with the narrow margins and the myriad pressures that come with operating in this volatile industry, what’s the overall value of achieving certification, both short-term and long-term?
The rise in climate anxiety, particularly among younger demographics, is well documented, powering new intentions for more responsible consumption when it comes to their accommodation and transport choices.
According to a recent Booking.com report, four in five cited travelling more sustainably as an important booking consideration, although the "say-do" gap is a matter for further discussion.
What is clear, though, is that finding scalable sustainable solutions within the travel industry and meeting growing customer desire for more responsible travel will only become more acute in the years ahead.
B Corp isn’t the solution for every travel business, but by achieving its universally recognised standards for those where it is, brands of all shapes and sizes can steward customers towards making informed decisions that resonate with their values.
Carrying a recognisable "stamp of quality" provides the reassurance that will increasingly make the difference between a decision to book or not.
John Pritchard is founder of sustainability consultancy illume.eco. Prior to this, he founded Pala Eyewear, an award-winning eyewear brand and B Corp. He also works with the Llama travel marketing collective, helping brands to integrate and optimise sustainability messaging in their marketing.
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