When humans began to populate the planet and extract its natural resources in order to survive, they never asked themselves about the future. Monarchs, dynasties and revolutionaries sought to leave their mark on the history books, without thinking about the mark they were leaving on Earth. 

Today, centuries later and in an environmental awakening also known as “green consciousness”, the human race realizes that it has left more of a mark on the earth than in books. And the progress, optimization of resources and natural discoveries were such that the planet earth has suffered consequences.

Governments, companies and individuals are aware of the impact they generate and how their carbon footprint affects the planet. That is why, from their place, Each organization has chosen to take the path of environmental responsibility, inform themselves and change habits in order to reduce gas emissions, waste production and pollution, among other things. This is how B Companies are born, companies that seek to be transparent and measure their socio-environmental impact. 

What it means to be a B Company

Being a Company B This involves making a commitment to continuous improvement for the environment and people. To do this, they measure and analyze five areas of their business: government, workers, customers, community and environment. The focus is on identifying the areas that can be improved, the challenges ahead and their potential as agents of change from the private sector. While any company can obtain its B Certificate, There are several aspects to take into account.

B Lab It is a non-profit organization in the United States and the main entity in charge of recognizing and delivering B Corporation certifications. To do this, they will review that the applicant companies operate in a competitive market, have twelve months of operations, are a business that is generating income and is distinguished by the way it presents its product or service. 

Andrés Rave, Regional Director of Business Solutions at Seguros SURA, says that “B companies are now seen more as a business vision that understands their increasingly aware consumers, who demand and value attributes such as the social and environmental impact behind any good or service.”

While it was popularly believed that this seal belonged to large companies - due to the challenge and depth of the process - the regional director of solutions recognizes: "SMEs, which have always led the innovation process, also join the development of technology and business models not only focused on financial results but also on the social and environmental benefit of their proposals." 

It is for this reason and the fact that more and more countries are aiming to take responsibility for their environmental impact., that in the Latin American and Caribbean region there are more than 700 companies with B Certification (several of them also recognized as “Best for the World  

The impact is such, according to Rave, that “there is no innovation or project that does not consider these attributes as part of its development process. And beyond the B company certification, it is a genuine demand from the market.”

Due to consumption patterns, new technologies and global environmental awareness, companies (large-scale and SMEs) have been put to the test: change its business model and proposal to align with new socio-environmental demands. 

Companies like 10 pins (technology), 3 vectors (design), Albertina (design), Green action (agriculture) and AdClean (product) are some of the many Latin American companies with B certification that demonstrate that despite the different areas and professional objectives, it is possible to generate a positive impact both socially and environmentally. 

Coordinated transformations

Environmental problems associated with new forms of consumption have contributed to the establishment in markets of a very different view of competition and of brand differentiation and innovation strategies.

As they explain SURA Trends and Risks experts, The objective is now beginning to focus on actions such as finding joint solutions and intelligent and innovative transformations that improve materials and production cycles, seeking more sustainable formulas and ways to use resources, knowing the trajectory during the life cycle of products, what their final disposition will be and their impact, improving efficiency in people's daily lives and solving the damage already caused to the environment.

The awareness of having to face common challenges (such as climate change) has led companies to see in coopetition, in biomimicry and in nature-based solutions, opportunities to continue innovating together to reduce environmental impacts in the development of new products and services.