Gaining certification can be more than just a badge of honor – it can be strategic move to enhance your company’s credibility, set yourself apart from competitors, and showcase your genuine commitment to ethical, environmental, and social responsibility.

“71% of Investors agree that companies should incorporate ESG or Sustainability directly into their corporate strategy”  Source: Global Investor Survey 2024.

While the B-Corp certification is often seen as the gold standard, it may not be the best fit for every organisation, due to its rigorous requirements and associated costs. Fortunately, there’s a wealth of alternative certifications available that can align seamlessly with your company’s values and goals.

 

Navigating the World of Certifications

As businesses face growing pressure to be more transparent and socially responsible, certifications have started to grow into an industry in their own right. But getting certified isn’t just about ticking a box – it should be a considered decision that genuinely aligns with your business strategy.

As highlighted by ethical business expert Ruth Anslow in our recent Scale Up Brighton & Hove session, businesses tend to approach social impact and sustainability in one of three ways: Good by Design, Good by Evolution, and Good by Participation:

• Good by Design means building sustainability and social responsibility into the foundations of your business from the outset, ensuring ethical and environmental considerations shape everything from your products and services to your overall model.

• Good by Evolution is about continuous improvement – adapting and refining your practices over time and as your business scales to increase your positive impact and reduce your footprint.

• Good by Participation focuses on wider collaboration, actively involving employees, customers, and communities in external initiatives that drive change. This could be through corporate volunteering, networking groups, or supporting community-led projects.

Understanding where your business sits within these approaches can help shape a meaningful vision – one that fuels both innovation and impact.

 

Certifications VS. Reporting

Becoming certified and impact reporting are distinct yet complementary processes for businesses. Certification typically involves obtaining formal recognition from an accrediting body, demonstrating compliance with specific standards or criteria, such as sustainability or quality management. This process often requires thorough documentation and assessment, with certifications being audited and verified by a third party.

In contrast, impact reporting focuses on transparently communicating a business’s social, environmental, and economic effects. It entails collecting and analysing data to showcase how an organisation contributes to broader goals, such as community well-being or ecological sustainability. Whilst the two often go hand in hand, certifications give businesses formal validation and recognises their efforts, whereas impact reporting provides stakeholders with a narrative of the organisation’s ongoing contributions and achievements in making a difference.

 

Aligning with the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

A good starting point when thinking about certifications is to look at the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These provide a clear framework for discussing sustainability and social responsibility, helping businesses identify key areas where they can make an impact. With around 83% of companies aligning their strategies with the SDGs but only 40% setting measurable commitments, there’s a clear opportunity for businesses to refine their approach. Certifications can play a vital role in this process, offering structured guidance and third-party validation to ensure organisations align with and meet their chosen SDG targets with credibility and accountability.

 

Explore Your Options

It’s crucial to assess the potential impact of a certification on both your organisation and the wider community. Are there other ways you can have a postive impact without investing in a formal certification? What certifications are the best fit for your industry? And, how will gaining a certification support your long-term goals as a organisation?

Your decision will largely depend on your values, audience, and sector. While B Corp is a well-known and comprehensive option, alternatives like 1% for the Planet, One Tree Planted, and Fairtrade also offer flexible, cost-effective ways to showcase your commitment. Ultimately, whether you choose certification or take a different path, what matters most is embedding sustainability and social responsibility into your business in a way that’s authentic, credible, and built to last.

With so many certifications to choose from, navigating these choices can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of standout options to help you identify the best fit for your business:

 

Environment & Sustainability

  • 1% for the Planet: This certification requires businesses to donate at least 1% of annual revenue to environmental causes, supporting nonprofits focused on climate change and conservation.
  • One Tree Planted: Companies can pledge to plant trees based on sales or campaigns, contributing to global reforestation in a flexible way.
  • The Climate Label Certification: Requires businesses to measure, reduce, and offset carbon emissions, appealing to environmentally conscious customers.
  • Certified Carbon Neutral: Signifies businesses, products and events that have achieved carbon neutrality in line with The CarbonNeutral Protocol.
  • ISO 14001: An international certification focusing on improving environmental performance through a structured management system.
  • Living Future Accreditation: A holistic approach to sustainability, focusing on regenerative design principles and the overall impact on the environment.
  • Carbon Trust Standard: Recognises organisations for measuring, managing, and reducing their carbon emissions.
  • Green Mark: A certification for environmentally friendly products and services, promoting sustainable practices.
  • Planet Mark: Recognises businesses for their commitment to sustainability and reducing environmental impact through ongoing improvement.
  • Investors in the Environment: Recognises organisations committed to improving their environmental performance.
  • Green Accord: Recognises organisations committed to environmental sustainability in the construction industry.
  • Green Tourism: Certifies tourism businesses that meet sustainable practices and environmental standards.
  • Plastic Neutral (e.g., rePurpose): Certifies companies that offset their plastic footprint through contributions to projects that eliminate plastic waste.
  • BREAM: BRE Environmental Assessment Method is an environmental assessment method for buildings around the world.
  • Green Seal: Signifies that a product or service has been verified to have minimal environmental impact and is considered eco-friendly.
  • The Green Business Bureau: Certifies businesses for implementing eco-friendly practices and improving sustainability efforts.

 

Inclusion & Social Impact

  • Living Wage Accreditation: Certifies businesses that pay a wage reflecting the actual cost of living, demonstrating commitment to fair pay and attracting conscious consumers.
  • Mindful Employer Charter: Supports organizations that promote mental health and well-being in the workplace.
  • Investors in Diversity: Certifies organizations committed to diversity and inclusion in their practices and culture.
  • Great Place to Work: Recognizes companies with outstanding workplace culture and employee satisfaction.
  • Disability Confident: A UK government-backed certification recognizing businesses that create inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities.
  • B-Corp: Legally commits to balancing profit and purpose, meeting higher standards of social and environmental performance.
  • B1G1: Enables businesses to give back by linking everyday business activities to meaningful contributions to social causes.

 

Retail & Consumer Goods

  • Fairtrade Certification: Certifies businesses that meet fair wages and ethical sourcing standards, particularly for food and textiles.
  • The Vegan Trademark: Recognizes animal-free products, ensuring they contain no animal-derived ingredients and have not been tested on animals.
  • Leaping Bunny: Certifies businesses that do not test on animals, appealing to cruelty-free consumers.
  • Rainforest Alliance: Certifies products from sustainable farming, ensuring ethical treatment of workers and ecosystems.
  • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Certifies sustainable forestry practices, ensuring responsible sourcing of wood and paper products.
  • Soil Association: Certifies organic food and farming practices, promoting environmental sustainability and animal welfare.
  • Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): Recognizes businesses producing organic fibers, ensuring ethical and sustainable textile manufacturing.
  • PETA Approved Vegan: Certifies businesses that meet strict animal welfare and cruelty-free standards, particularly in cosmetics and fashion.
  • The Vegetarian Society Trademark: Certifies products as vegetarian, ensuring they contain no meat or fish, promoting ethical food choices.
  • Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): Recognizes sustainable seafood products, ensuring responsible fishing practices.
  • Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO): Certifies businesses that source sustainable palm oil, reducing deforestation and environmental harm.
  • OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: Certifies textiles and fashion products that meet strict environmental and health safety criteria.
  • Cradle to Cradle: Recognizes products designed for sustainability and recyclability, ensuring minimal environmental impact throughout their lifecycle.

 

Tech & Digital Sustainability

  • TCO Certified: Recognizes IT products (computers, monitors, and accessories) that meet sustainability and social responsibility standards.
  • Green Software Foundation: Though not a certification, they support and educate on best practices for businesses using and building green software.
  • Cyber Essentials: A UK government-backed certification that helps businesses protect against cyber threats, demonstrating robust cybersecurity practices.

 

If you need support in building your strategy and determining whether investment in certifications is right for your business, our team is here to help.