“The B Corp movement is one of the most important of our lifetime, built on the simple fact that business impacts and serves more than just shareholders – it has an equal responsibility to the community and to the planet.”
- Rose Marcario, Patagonia CEO
Written by Jana Blankenship, founder of Captain Blankenship
So What Exactly is a B Corp?
The B in B Corp stands for "benefit." B Corp's mission is to support companies that benefit workers, the community, and the planet. Certified B Corporations are businesses that uphold the highest standards of transparency, social and environmental responsibility, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Lab, the organization that certifies B Corps, was founded in 2006 by three friends from college. They saw firsthand the need to create a community to support, encourage, and inspire responsible businesses. B Lab today counts over 3,500 companies in more than 70 countries across 150 industries as B Corp certified.
Why is Captain Blankenship committed to being a B Corp?
Captain Blankenship became a B Corp in 2018. I first learned about the B Corp community from the amazing Patagonia, which was the first California-based company to join in 2012. I have long admired Patagonia as a pioneering company that supports social and environmental good in every aspect of their business. Since starting Captain Blankenship in 2009, I knew I wanted it to be a force for good in the world and the mission of B Corps really resonated with me. The process to actually become a B Corp was long and thorough. We are so grateful for it though, because it helped us see all the areas we could strive to be a more social and environmentally conscious business.
We consider sustainability in every aspect of our business. We are committed to using our business as a force for good to give back to the community and to the planet. We use the highest quality natural, organic, and fair-trade ingredients whenever possible. You can visit our Ingredients page to learn more about the sourcing and origin of all of our main ingredients.
Our brand is committed to environmental protection. Through 1% for the Planet we are proud sponsors the Hudson River Watershed Alliance, protecting our local Hudson river, streams, lakes, and reservoirs.
We are committed to using sustainable packaging, newly switching over to aluminum packaging, which has the potential to be recycled over and over again.
Anthea Kelsick, co-CEO of B Lab, describes how we must see business as a force for good:
“Think: What’s the civic duty of a company? Companies must become accountable members of society and use their efforts to go beyond their own brand advocacy. Step up as conscious members of society and use lobbying dollars to reverse climate change, create equitable health outcomes and dismantle white supremacy.”
B Corps are creating a global paradigm shift. Businesses can not be solely interested in their own brand and revenues. Instead, B Corporations are committed to prioritizing social and environmental justice over personal gain. B Corps also provide a map for the future of the company. If investors come in or the business changes hands, it seeks to ensure that the values of the business will be carried on and not compromised.
Instead of being part of the problem, B Corp businesses try to be part of the solution. At Captain Blankenship, integrity of ingredients, packaging, and purpose has always been at the heart of what we do. Joining the B Corp community has only made us more accountable for every action we take and has pushed us to keep doing better in every aspect of the business.
How did Captain Blankenship become a B Corp?
We have completed a thorough impact assessment questionnaire that measures our company’s social and environmental performance. Our business practices, operations, and policies have been evaluated and have met the highest standards in regard to the impact on our employees, community, environment, and customers.
What are we doing to be a force for good?:
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We donate to nonprofits that help dismantle systemic racism
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We partner with 1% for the Planet to donate 1% of our annual revenue to environmental nonprofits
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We not only donate profits but also products to charities and people in need.
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We prioritize the health and wellbeing of our team.
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We value working collaboratively and creatively; every voice on our team is heard.
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We are female-founded and women-run.
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We support family-first policies.
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We source our organic ingredients from ethical sources, working directly with farmers or cooperatives when we can.
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We are always auditing our supply chain and sourcing while striving to make the best possible social, ethical and environmental choices.
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We invest in the most sustainable packaging options available and are always on the cusp of what the best path forward is. Currently, that is our newly-released aluminum packaging and bulk sizes for select products.
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We seek to lower our carbon footprint in every way we can. All employees work from home. Our fulfillment center and manufacturer are in the same town, removing the need to ship products long distances.
- We will never compromise the integrity of our mission at Captain Blankenship or I would stop believing in this business.
"At Captain Blankenship, the integrity of ingredients, packaging, and purpose has always been at the heart of what we do. Joining the B Corp community has only made us more accountable for every action we take and has pushed us to keep doing better in every aspect of the business."
What other companies are B Corp certified?
I was inspired to become a B Corp by kindred companies in our clean beauty community like S.W. Basics, Erbaviva, Alima Cosmetics and Babo Botanicals. As a small business, becoming a B Corp takes time and resources that are hard to set aside but well worth the commitment. It is not something we do alone but with the help of the B Corp Community. When we were immersed in the B Corp certification process, B Lab worked with us to actively help us with solutions to achieve our goals. Striving to be a business for good in this world is not something we go alone, it is a creative collaboration. We are excited to see more of our friends in our clean beauty community joining B Corp like Ursa Major, who just got certified in 2020. We hope more companies in our community will take the initiative to become a B Corp.
Here are some other like-minded partners that share our values:
Patagonia, Ben and Jerry’s, Seventh Generation, Yogi Tea, Eileen Fisher, Reformation, Gaia Herbs, Danone, Bonterra, Cabot are among the hundreds of companies in the global community using business as a force for good.
To learn more and to support other B Corp brands visit https://bcorporation.net/vote
We are inspired to continue to improve upon all aspects of our business and are proud to be part of the B Corp community of businesses that are working towards this common goal. Our mission is to become a regenerative force that can give back to the community, people, and the Earth.
Visit our Mission page to learn more about B Corp and our other certifications.