Lessons From Our Second B Corp Recertification

We are ecstatic to report that Mangrove has achieved its 2023 B Corp recertification! We last went through the recertification process at the end of 2019. Much like today, it was a turbulent time in politics and climate justice, and the recertification process gave us reason to hope. Certified B Corps are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Being part of this inspirational community supports our desire to make a difference as a digital design and web development organization working with changemaking organizations. 

We feel exactly the same today.

Part of what makes the recertification process so meaningful and challenging is how rigorously it ensures that businesses prove they care as much about society and the environment as they do about their profits. 

Simply put, it’s not easy to get recertified. Nor should it be.

It’s been seven years since Mangrove became a Certified B Corp, and our recertification is an opportunity to reflect on what it means to us, what we’ve learned, and what we are still learning:  

• Being part of the B Corp community propels us forward and makes us feel part of something bigger than ourselves.. With several years as a B Corp under our belt, we are now more established in the community and feel extra motivated to use our growing relationships to make a collective impact in the certification’s core focus areas – racial equity, stakeholder governance, and climate justice.
• Shared commitment is how we can make change. Working with organizations we admire and that are making a difference in the world means everything to us. We have become part of a movement that is bigger than ourselves and our day-to-day business. Being a B Corp has introduced us to many like-minded organizations. We can only affect the larger-scale changes we want to see by collaborating with each other. This shared commitment helps to overcome feelings of doom and gloom.
• Being accountable as a B Corp continues to bring new meaning and vitality to our work. We have historically centered our B Corp goals on diversity, equity and inclusion through a racial equity lens. Now, we are expanding our focus to include digital accessibility: building web experiences that are functional and usable for people of all abilities. The accountability function of recertification requires us to critically examine our impact. This in turn invigorates our work by driving us to do more and shift focus when appropriate.  
• Increasing our recertification score is about more than just numbers. When we first certified, we achieved a score of 80. This year, our score was 112, indicating our growth. In the first seven years of our B Corp journey, we established a solid foundation by addressing some of our most achievable impact goals. We’re now in a place to move beyond quick wins to advance our bigger-picture goals. And that feels fantastic!
• Recertification takes time, and that’s a good thing. We appreciate the rigor of the B Corp recertification process, and we are getting more efficient at it with every three-year cycle. We better understand how to collect and monitor the data required and have established systems and templates to make it easier. 
• The B Corp movement is growing. Receiving our recertification took longer this year as the result of a growing B Corp movement. B Lab has been inundated with new submissions for certification. Today, there are over 6,000! The positive recognition that comes with the “B” logo is catching on and attracting a lot of newcomers. It’s energizing to be part of a community with momentum. 

Our next challenge: Updated B Corp standards

B Lab is gradually shifting to a new set of certification standards that will advance performance requirements in a way that more meaningfully demonstrates the role of B Corps and the B Corp movement in making the world a better place. 

The timing of our recertification this year meant we just missed applying to meet these new standards. We’re happy to hear that B Lab has bolstered its support of recertification specialists who shepherd businesses through certifying.

Final reflections

Becoming a Certified B Corp was one of Mangrove’s best business decisions. Through the process, we’ve learned how to care for and support our team members, develop a thoughtful philanthropy program, consider our work’s social and environmental impact, and build strong partnerships within our network of purpose-driven businesses. We remain deeply committed to helping conscious companies connect with their communities and stakeholders by communicating their purpose meaningfully. 

Being part of the B Corp community has enabled us to greatly amplify our impact, and our recertification reinforces that we continue to move in a positive direction. As the B Corp community grows, so do we.

Questions about becoming a B Corp or our own B Corp certification data? Contact us.