TIPTOE obtains B Corp certification and strengthens its CSR commitments
What a proud moment! TIPTOE is B Corp™ certified.
At TIPTOE, we regularly share with you our actions and commitment in terms of social and environmental responsibility. Today, we are celebrating the achievement of one of the most demanding labels in this field and taking another step toward our belief that a company should make a positive contribution to the world.
In this article, we tell you more about the B Corp certification process, what it means, and why this label matters to us.
What is B Corp certification?
B Corp is an international certification awarded to companies that meet high social and environmental standards and are committed to continuous improvement. B Corp is short for “Benefit Corporation” and refers to a company recognised for its positive impact on the world. The certification covers 5 distinct areas: environment, governance, workers, customers and community.
This certification is granted only to a select number of companies after a long and meticulous assessment process.
How do you become a B Corp?
With companies such as Veja and Patagonia as role models, we had wanted to obtain B Corp certification for several years and were already discussing it in 2016, shortly after our launch.
In June 2021, we tackled the subject head-on and began the certification process, which assesses a company’s performance through 200 questions requiring evidence and justification. What followed was fascinating, meticulous work that required us to take a critical look at our internal processes and gather information from our industrial partners across Europe. For example, we asked them about the energy sources powering their factories, the amount of water used in their industrial processes, and the social policies in place at each of their companies. At the same time, this demanding process strengthened the relationships of trust and transparency we have built with our partners over the years.
After several months of work collecting this information, gathering the necessary supporting documents and answering the questions that arose during the audits carried out by the B Corp team, the news came through: TIPTOE is officially B Corp certified with a score of 90.6.
This score is the result awarded at the end of the assessment process: a minimum of 80 points is required to be B Corp certified, while the median score obtained by a company is 50.9 at the time of writing this article.
Why is B Corp certification important for TIPTOE?
- Joining the B Corp movement
First and foremost, we are joining a movement of committed companies that are dedicated to questioning their impact at every level. TIPTOE now has a duty to lead by example, and B Corp certification serves as a guiding framework to help us keep improving.
- A recognition of our efforts
This label also recognizes our commitment and our decisions. Since the very beginning of TIPTOE, we have voluntarily held ourselves to bold choices that are sometimes complex to implement: 100% European manufacturing, eco-designed, durable and repairable products, materials chosen to control our environmental impact and promote circularity, long-term collaboration with social partners, an obsession with quality and genuine respect for our customers. B Corp certification is a recognition of all the efforts undertaken over several years.
- A way to reaffirm our mission
Finally, B Corp is also a way to reaffirm the mission written into our company’s bylaws: to offer sustainable furniture while accelerating awareness of environmental issues in our sector and promoting a positive business model.
Today, more than ever, we are delighted to renew the environmental and social commitment that is TIPTOE’s strength and a source of pride for the team working here.
“The B Corp label means a great deal to the entire TIPTOE team! First, it is an immense source of pride to see TIPTOE’s commitments recognized by one of the world’s most demanding certifications in terms of social and environmental performance. It is also a joy to join a movement of forward-thinking companies committed to offering a fairer model. Above all, B Corp is a guiding framework that commits us to continuing to build a virtuous company that makes a positive contribution to the world.”
Vincent Quesada and Matthieu Bourgeaux, founders of TIPTOE