In celebration of B Corp Month, we look back on what it took to earn our B Corp certification and why we're proud to be part of this global force for good.
When we launched Fair Harbor a decade ago, we were committed to building an ethical brand focused on sustainability and purpose-driven business practices. Every day, we carry out this mission in everything we do—from the sustainable fabric we make and the responsible factories we partner with to the eco-friendly production practices we use and the way we organize community cleanups.
We’re also extremely proud to have repurposed more than 35 million plastic bottles to make our clothing.
That's also why earning our Certified B Corporation status in 2022 seemed like a natural progression for us.
The B Corp movement aims to make business a force for good in the world by prioritizing people and the planet. B Lab, a non-profit global organization that certifies businesses, has created a rigorous set of legal accountability and public transparency standards that all companies must meet.
Read on to learn more about our path to achieving B Corp recognition, what it means to us, and how it fits into our future.
Our journey to becoming B Corp sprang from an idea presented by our talented and hard-working summer intern, Sophie Miller (now our operations manager). At the end of her internship, Sophie created a presentation demonstrating how our company mission and practices aligned with B Corp requirements and outlined the benefits of applying. It just made sense to her.
"Everything we did and continue to do is rooted in sustainability," says Sophie. "And I think B Corp was just a seamless transition because it reflects who we are as a company, including our people and products."
We knew we had what it took to join the impressive roster of B Corp brands—Patagonia, Bombas, Allbirds, and TOMS, among others—so we dived right into the process.
Becoming a B Corp is no small feat, as our CFO Andrew Aicher can attest. It took two years and dozens and dozens of detailed questions and verifications until we finally made it official. "They really dig in, they really evaluate you," recalls Andrew. "And I'm glad that they did because it speaks to the integrity of the certification."
According to B Lab, B Corp Certification is the only one that measures a company's entire social and environmental performance across five key impact areas: workers, community, environment, customers, and governance. The B Impact Assessment is broken down into specific criteria, and companies must have a minimum score to qualify for certification. "From your supply chain and input materials to your charitable giving and employee benefits, B Corp Certification proves your business is meeting the highest standards of verified performance,” according to the B Lab site.
But the brand was ready for this extensive process. "I think the intensity of it made it really appealing to us because we want to do the right thing as a business, and that's why we started it," says Fair Harbor co-founder Caroline Danehy. "The rigorous level of testing that they put you through was notable, and it gave me more appreciation and more respect for what being a B Corp is."
All B Corps are required to become Public Benefit Corporations, which means amending their company constitution to be purpose-driven, valuing people and the planet equally with profitability. It considers all stakeholders, including communities and the environment, in business decisions. By comparison, most corporations are typically focused mostly on shareholder value.
"I really like the idea of being a Public Benefit Corporation because I believe in using our company as a force for good, not just a profit center," explains Fair Harbor co-founder Jake Danehy. "That's a requirement, and that's, I think, probably my favorite aspect. Obviously, the regulations and certifications are important, but adding the Public Benefit Corporation and changing the company's bylaws was important and differentiating. Of course, we're a for-profit business, but that's not the only reason we exist."
Our B Corp journey reflects our deep commitment to our bigger purpose. As a smaller, sustainable brand that has always led with our environmental and social values, the process always seemed like a natural step for our brand to be part of this conscientious community.
"The B Corp requirements aligned perfectly with the values of our company," says Caroline. "The certification process formalized the systems we already had in place and helped guide us through any that weren't 100 percent solidified."
We're incredibly proud to be part of the B Corp movement, a global community of conscientious companies like us working towards a better planet. "There's definitely a sense of pride," says Jake. "The brands associated with B Corp are all brands that I respect and value for their ethos."
Ensuring every business continues to strive for purpose and impact, the certification is not a one-time achievement. B Corps must recertify every three years, encouraging an ongoing commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.
And that requirement also fits the Fair Harbor ethos. "We're always continuing to push the boundaries of what it means to be a sustainable business," says Jake. "We never stop pursuing new sustainable fabrications, and we're always trying to find ways to make our products and processes more responsible so we can continue to impact the planet positively."
