Zea has officially been B Corp certified, joining a global movement of businesses internationally recognised as meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and accountability. Can we get a high five?!
Our company was founded on the belief that actions speak louder than words. As we’ve grown, we’ve been inspired by the actions businesses are taking to make the world better.
We pursued B Corp certification to join the many other like-minded companies dedicated to bettering themselves and the world, and using business as a force for good.
Discover what it means and what it takes to become a B Corp business below.
What does that mean?
B Corporations - B Corps for short - are for profit (or for benefit) organisations certified as being at the forefront of a major culture shift in business where the traditional bottom line of Profit has been expanded to include the triple bottom line of Profit, People and Planet.
This means that B Corps use profits and growth to create a positive impact for their employees, communities and the environment.
B Corps work towards addressing these issues through business – like tackling inequality and poverty and the creation of high-quality jobs.
As an Australian family business, Zea is proud to help create local jobs, build environmentally and socially sustainable communities, and drive industry innovation.
From our locally and sustainably sourced botanical ingredients, to our eco-friendly packaging, through to the way we run our ethical company we believe in taking responsibility, and this certification is proudly a reflection of that.
Certified B Corporations are required to:
- Consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders.
- Agree to be transparent on five impact areas: governance, workers, customers, communities, and the environment.
- Achieve a minimum verified score on the B Impact Assessment.
- Recertify every two years. This requires them to satisfy the ever-changing standards and expectations of the certification each time.
- Complete a comprehensive questionnaire, including substantiating evidence, followed up with an interview and reviews by B Corp™, each with stringent guidelines.
Why does this matter to you?
B Corporation certification helps businesses act as a force for good, and also helps customers, investors, stakeholders and community members select organisations that align with their values.
That little encircled 'B' is a way for customers to instantly recognise that the organisations they buy from are working according to an entirely new way of doing business.
What is the certification process?
B Corp certification is administered by the non-profit B Lab.
To become a certified B Corp, you must first take the B Impact assessment, completing a lengthy questionnaire comprising hundreds of questions.
The B Impact Assessment is a thorough and detailed survey of your business’ social and environmental performance in the five areas of governance, workers, environment, community and customers.
Businesses need a score of 80 points or above to achieve B Corp certification.
It took us several years to make improvements across our company and reach the correct score for certification, and we are so proud to have exceeded this already high standard.
The steps we’ve taken to achieve B Corp certification
Zea was built with empathy and purpose at its core. Since the beginning we’ve proudly supported non-profit organisations such as 1% for the Planet, giving back to social and environmental causes we care about - like delivering meals to people in need, keeping our seas clean, and planting trees.
Proudly, we work with farmers, manufacturers and suppliers who are committed to sustainable farming and fair trade practices.
We also take pride in putting money back into the Australian economy through the purchase of ingredients, packaging and components from Aussie businesses.
Similarly, we always ensure we maintain a diverse and gender-inclusive workforce, paying all of our staff above the minimum wage.
Our ongoing environmental efforts should also be noted. We’ve taken strides to identify opportunities to improve our packaging, lessen our carbon footprint and reduce waste wherever we can.
If you would like to learn more about the specific steps we’ve taken thus far to make a more positive impact on the world and achieve this impressive certification, read our 2020-21 FY Impact Report.
Despite all of this, we know there’s so much more we can and should do.
Being a certified B Corp provides validation that the impact we say we deliver is being delivered. It also acts as a way to constantly improve our business. As the B Corp certification process becomes more rigorous over time, it helps us sharpen the roadmap for our business and is fundamental to Zea’s impact model.
Being a B Corp is not a destination but an ongoing journey. We aim to learn more about our impact, as a company, on communities around the world. And we strive to do more to ensure a better future for everyone so that we can create real, meaningful change.
The future looks B Corp
B Corp certification is pivotal in shifting the game of business and reshaping a future where the health and wellbeing of people and planet are not compromised for the sake of profitable gains
As a business that always strives to do well and to do good, our decision to seek certification as a B Corp was simple.
We have always wanted to run a new kind of business – one that balances people, planet, purpose and profit. And we are so proud to have finally reached this incredible milestone through our efforts with Zea over the last few years and through this certification.
However, we believe transformation must be both enduring and continual, and in order to maintain certification, Zea is obliged to undergo the process every three years. Not only that, but the criteria grows stricter each time.
It’s a constantly shifting work-in-progress and we strive to always look for new ways to build a more inclusive and sustainable business so that people and the planet can continually benefit.
This is only the beginning and we look forward to updating you more along our B Corp journey.
AUTHOR - HAYDEN BRASS
For the past few years, Hayden has lived and breathed Zea. He has been the driving force behind turning what was a family project into a real business that could positively impact millions of people throughout the world. It's Hayden's personal mission to develop products that have a positive impact on people’s lives and well-being. When he is not working and talking about Kunzea Oil, Hayden enjoys getting outdoors into nature and exploring the beautiful planet in which we call home.
