March 31, 2022
2 Minute 
2:31 Minute
What Makes a B Corp a Different Kind of Business?
Marisabel Vasquez
Marketing Manager
This month has been extremely exciting for Caravela. We started the month announcing that we won the SCA Sustainability Award in the Business Model category. And last week we announced that our supplier farmers in the Galapagos Islands achieved the Carbon Neutral Standard after a third-party verification process that certified that the coffee that we source in Galapagos is climate positive. These are just two great milestones that we have achieved in the last two decades.
It is no coincidence that while we were making these huge announcements, joined by beautiful stories and faces that make us feel deeply proud, the B Corp community was celebrating B Corp Month. During this month, many fellow B Corp companies have been sharing inspirational stories on social media with the hashtag #BehindtheB. The campaign aims to show the world what it means to be a B Corp company and what makes B Corps a different kind of business.
I have genuinely enjoyed seeing what different B Corp customers and coffee companies have shared about what it means to them to belong to this community and what they are doing to make a change. Since B Corp introduced the campaign, it had me thinking: What is actually ‘Behind the B’?
For us, ‘Behind the B’ there is always people. People with different stories and backgrounds highlighting lots of diversity; people excited to do things differently, and better, every time. Being a B Corp is something that we are proud of, but it is also a huge responsibility. As we wrap up March 2022, we understand that being a B Corp is also achieving small milestones like the ones we have announced this month. It is not about changing the world from one day to the other. Instead it is about making small steps every day that will not only make you proud, but that generate a bigger impact for the world and the coffee industry.
Being the winners for the SCA Sustainability Award and having a climate positive supply chain in the Galapagos are just two examples of what is behind our B Corp certification: a tireless commitment towards improving the lives of the people that join us behind the scenes and are respecting the planet.
I do not think there is any B Corps in the world that does it only for the certification or recognition. I would say that most of the B Corps are just passionate about doing things better, having a greater impact, being part of the change, and that is what we all have in common. For this reason, we want to recognize our seventeen fellow B Corp roaster customers throughout the world and quote them with what it means for them to be part of the B Community.
The B Corp certification is not just about a product. It is about a company as a whole. Companies that leave a positive imprint on the planet, companies that Benefit. You need to see B Corps as a movement of like-minded businesses who all have a desire to change how we create a successful story. We live in a world where we have a responsibility to each other and to the planet. To do so in a sustainable manner, you also need to be profitable. B Corps are just that; profitable businesses that use their force for good.
Thank you for supporting sustainability for small coffee farmers and their families, choosing healthier alternatives, shopping local and allowing us to serve you as part of our community.
We’re really proud of this team achievement & see it as part of our ongoing journey to improve everything that we do.
Meeting higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability helps us in our goal to lead the industry in transparent coffee sourcing and to measurably impact our staff and communities for the better.
Pursuing certification was a way for us to see how we compare to others in our industry, as well as to identify new metrics/tools to gauge our success in social/environmental areas. Our ownership and staff have always cared about being thoughtful and responsible in the way that we interact with our employees, community, and planet so becoming BCorp certified was the natural next step to helping us share those values with our customers.
As a B Corp, we're committed to having a positive impact on the communities in which we operate, hire, and source. As we progress through 2022, we're focusing our development efforts on deepening our ties with the Milwaukee community through creating new partnerships, refreshing our cafes, and recruiting in underserved communities.
For over 30 years we have built long-term partnerships with farmers and invested in innovative farming methods and technologies that help farmers adapt to and mitigate against climate change. This work will continue to push boundaries to reach these targets, making life better for our farmers and a better cup of coffee for you.
If we can show that running a successful business while prioritizing the needs of the people we work with and the planet that, you know, we depend on for survival, the hopefully we can inspire others to do so.
Firstly, community. Every business on the planet exists within a community. That's why B Corps are committed to giving back.
Being a #BCorp means not only caring for the planet but putting it first in our processes and decisions. Because we know business can make a big difference.
The BCorp certification process taught us we’ve been doing a lot of things well. But it also taught us we had room to grow: we needed to get better at setting goals, tracking progress, and communicating what we’re up to.
The B Corp certification is not just about a product. It is about a company as a whole. Companies that leave a positive imprint on the planet, companies that Benefit. You need to see B Corps as a movement of like-minded businesses who all have a desire to change how we create a successful story. We live in a world where we have a responsibility to each other and to the planet. To do so in a sustainable manner, you also need to be profitable. B Corps are just that; profitable businesses that use their force for good.
Being a @bcorporation means valuing your workers, customers, environment, and community as much as your profits (or more🙂) — and having corporate governance that keeps those values in place. This month we’ll be sharing stories, what that means to us, and why it matters, as well as how the B Corp community is bringing benefit to all.
We're delighted to be featured amongst other brands that, like us, have positive impact and continuous improvement at their core.
In its simplest form, this means we are part of global movement of people using business as a force for good.
Since becoming a certified B Corp in 2020, we have joined a global network of businesses who demonstrate valuing their workers, customers, communities, and environment more than their profit. With corporate governance that keeps these values in place, the accountability has bolstered our commitment to transparency and pushing our potential. Buying from #BCorps means you can be sure you’re contributing to better business.
Environmental sustainability is a core part of being a BCorp, and it's been baked into Jasper from the beginning. We choose our coffees with the environment in mind. This includes stocking a range of eco-friendly, Organic, Shadegrown coffees, that preserve biodiversity and are free from harmful pesticides.
As well as being proudly B Corp, did you also know that each of your #pabloandrustys orders is 100% carbon neutral? We were the first coffee roaster in Australia to achieve Carbon Neutral Organisation certification. But we're not stopping there, sustainability is a journey, not a destination.
“when you’re a B Corp it is understood that you take your community and your people as seriously as the environment.”
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