Sustainable Summerdown
Peppermint experts Summerdown, the peppermint experts, has announced its certification as a B Corporation (B Corp), joining a growing group of companies, and one of only two farms in the UK, reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. Summerdown has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, as having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to using business as a force for good.
Summerdown is one of only two farms in the UK to be B Corp accredited. The underlying aim of the Summerdown business is to be regenerative, ie to strive to make business decisions that actively engage the restoration of the environment and reduce any negative impact on it.
While the conversation around sustainability and words associated with it may be relatively new, sustainability has always been a way of life at Summerdown, farming for the future and always thinking about the business’s impact on the environment and how to maintain a thriving, sustainable ecosystem. Becoming a B Corp was therefore a natural next step on Summerdown’s sustainability journey.
The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’s operations and covers five key impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. The certification process is rigorous, with applicants required to reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. The B Corp community in the UK, representing a broad cross section of industries and sizes, comprises over 500 companies.
Summerdown’s Jo Colman said: “Sustainability sits at the heart of everything we do here at Summerdown. We believe that business can be a force for good, that is to say we know we can bring award-winning peppermint chocolates to consumers whilst looking after the planet and people, too.”
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome Summerdown to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates. We know that Summerdown are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward.”