Spotlight on… Sustainability badges
In this Climate Action Programme ‘spotlight on’ article Jo Lord, founder of byen ltd outlines some of the different sustainability commitments businesses can make, what’s involved, and how robust they are.
Why do companies seek out external recognition for the actions they take?
We have been taught to expect a badge (or sticker) as a reward for good behaviour and achievement. Stickers with a smiley face on our school projects, or after visiting the Dentist, 1st, 2nd and 3rd for the place you came on Sports Day, and an ‘I Gave Blood Today’ one which says exactly what you did.
So, it is not surprising that when a company decides to use their business for good, they want to shout about it – publicly declare it.
Also, for many stakeholders, these business achievement badges help them make decisions about a company. A survey by B Lab in October 2023, revealed that more than half of UK adults (58%) use business certifications to make decisions about businesses to buy from and to work for.
A year later, Climate Partner have just released the results of their survey, where 64% of respondents said they would prefer a product if the packaging included information about the manufacturer’s commitment to climate action.
There are a plethora of sustainability related pledges, accreditations and certificates in the market awarding a badge you can display on your website or product. While it can be easy to discover the significance of the badge and what it stands for, via a visit to the issuers website, the commitment in time, money and resources undertaken by the company to obtain it is not always obvious.
So, what are they and what do they mean. Below is a brief description by type with an example of a badge within that category. You can also download a fuller list.
Pledges
A pledge is a promise or vow to take specific actions or uphold certain principles. Signing up shows your intent to support an action or cause, it is usually free to do and not particularly time consuming. Only sign up to those which align with your ethics and company values.
For example, The Ethical Move badge shows your pledge to communicate inclusively, truthfully and clearly, with a goal to promote responsible consumerism.
Commitments
A commitment is a formal, sometimes binding obligation to take certain actions or meet specific goals. It typically indicates a stronger and more long-term responsibility compared to a pledge.
For example, through SME Climate Hub, you make a public commitment to reduce your emissions and are counted in the UN Climate Change High Level Champion’s Race to Zero campaign. It is often easier to stay on track when you have declared your intent and are part of a group.
Campaigns
A campaign is an organised effort to achieve a particular goal, or drive change often over a defined period. Add your name to show support to a coordinated effort.
For example, you can join the Better Business Act Coalition to show your support to changing UK law (Section 172 of the Companies Act) to make sure every single company in the UK, whether big or small, puts balancing people, profit, and planet in all business decisions.
Memberships
Memberships are usually a form of ongoing engagement or affiliation with an organisation or group. They often align with a commitment, but can also be tied to campaigns, certification, or accreditation, depending on the context.
For example, the Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB) is a not-for-profit membership company owned by its members. You complete an impact assessment starting with a monitored self-assessment certification, through to Social Value Community and Responsible Business Standard.
Plus of course, businesses and organisations can sign up to be a member of Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership and be part of a growing community taking climate and nature action locally.
Certificates
A certificate is an official document issued as proof of meeting specific criteria by an authority or organisation.
For example, B Corp businesses undergo a rigorous assessment process that evaluates their entire impact on governance, workers, communities, environment, and customers. Under the current version, you can weight your impact in one or two areas only, so a criticism is you can score highly in workers and poorly in environment and still become a B Corp. B Lab are looking to address this, from 2026, you will need to score across ten defined areas, making it more robust. B Corps also make a legal commitment by changing their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders.
Accreditations
Accreditations are a formal recognition of meeting established standards. It usually involves a rigorous evaluation or assessment process.
For example, the Good Business Charter is an affordable, self-assessed, simple accreditation, open to all companies, charities, and public sector organisations. It asks businesses to meet ten requirements aligned with the Ten Principles of the UN Global including to pay the real living wage.
Companies often collect a number of different badges as they work on their sustainability goals and bring their stakeholders on the journey with them.
What badges do you recognise, value, want to get? Whatever badge you go for, make sure you’re being transparent about your sustainability actions, delivering on your pledges and tracking your progress.
Jo Lord set up business operations consultancy byen ltd, to help companies improve the impact of their business for all stakeholders. Jo loves utilising B Lab’s impact assessment tool to help companies think about what is important to them, and understand their responsibilities and the changes needed for a sustainable future. byen ltd is a member of ORB and has joined the Better Business Act coalition.
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