Working ethically — it’s in our DNA
Using business as a force for good and redefining what success means in business.
Several months ago, acidlabs began a journey that we finished this week: we became a Certified B Corporation. In doing so, we joined a community of over 2,500 companies worldwide using business as a force for good and redefining what success means in business.
We’re now one of fewer than 250 Certified B Corporations in Australia, and only the third B Corp headquartered in the ACT.
As individuals, and as a team, we believe in business being better, and making sure that the work we do with clients, the suppliers we use, and the people we employ are all actively considerate of the impact they have in the world. We want to live that belief, and make a public and very obvious statement about it, and that’s why we sought B Corp certification.
As a part of our certification, we’re now legally required to consider the impact of our business decisions on all our stakeholders. We have to take an active and abiding interest in our social and environmental performance, thinking about how we want the company to be seen and behave, and we challenge ourselves to think about our people, the environment, our community, and our clients.
Our commitment drives us to think holistically about everything we do as a company and how we deliver our projects. We actively look for projects that can improve the lives of disadvantaged and under-represented groups, and we’ve made inroads into reducing our carbon footprint. Two examples: we’re seeking to do more work with the third sector and our people work from home, a coworking space, or on client site.
It’s our belief that becoming a B Corp shows us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. It makes business sense and helps us differentiate, benchmark our performance, work with the right suppliers, and attract the right kind of talent.
In order to meet the rigorous certification requirements to be a B Corp, we’ve developed a range of policies and a company Code of Conduct that express our commitment to our people, or suppliers, our community, our clients, and the environment. Those documents are available to anyone, and they sit alongside our Employee Handbook as documents for our own use, and for others to adapt and adopt if they wish to.
Today is just the beginning. We’re already working hard on engaging with the community of B Corps out there, on building a richer set of policies and practice that enhance the good we can do, and looking to work with others who share our vision.
The things that make us a B Corp were already a part of our DNA as a company — who we are — now it’s much more real.
