In Brazil, brands such as Daterra and San Coffee and the Italian Illycafé join over 121 other companies that buy, roast and import coffees around the world.
What are, by definition, B Companies, after all? These are companies that, in addition to producing, profiting, and moving the economy, offer social and environmental benefits. Hence, the “B” seal is given as a recognition of quality to these initiatives. Those who receive the title of “A B Company” are companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance and also criteria of transparency and legal responsibility, while balancing their profit and their purpose.
In other words, B System is a certification granted by institutions that analyze business practices and policies. In Brazil, the organization responsible for awarding the company as a “B Company” is the B System.
Through the B Impact Assessment (BIA), System B proposes to “follow and measure factors that go beyond the economic performance of the business, taking into account the social and environmental impact that the companies create in the course of their operations”.
The analysis is carried out in five areas: Management, Workers, Customers, Community and Environment.
In other words, the assessment diagnoses how the company’s operations and business model affect people, societies and ecosystems “from the supply chain and inbound materials to charitable donations and employee benefits”, in the organization’s own words.
How was the certification created?
In 2006, three friends, Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan and Andrew Kassoy, in Pennsylvania (USA), together left their corporative careers and created the B Lab, a NGO dedicated to assisting companies in the mission of having a positive impact and maintaining it over time. The idea was to redefine the meaning of business success by solving social and environmental problems of products and services.
By 2007, 82 companies were already certified. In 2011, International B system was founded, an it oversees the growth of the B movement in collaboration with national partners in various countries around the world. The Latin American B System was created in 2012 and began operating in Brazil in 2013.
Currently, there are 4,384 B companies in 77 countries – 233 of these companies are in Brazil, including Natura, Movida, Daterra, among others.
Essential attributes
According to B System organization, there are four fundamental characteristics of the so-called B Companies: having a strong purpose, what is to say, all business actions are motivated and committed to generating a positive impact for society and the environment; incorporate the B clauses, expanding the duties of shareholders, administrators and managers, by including two B clauses in the articles of the company’s association contract, which guarantee the company’s commitment to go beyond its financial and economic interests in decision-making; commit to continuous improvement and act with interdependence.
Operation in Brazil
In June last year, Daterra Coffee held (B)ean – Dialogues about Companies in the Coffee Industry, an online event whose objective was to inspire the country’s specialty coffee chain, through the experience of other companies in the sector. In 2022, the event will take place again, being this time leaded by Daterra ‘s CEO, Isabela Becker, herself a supporter of B Companies. Watch an exclusive interview with the executive here.
How to become a B company
Some prerequisites are necessary to be a candidate company: be a for-profit entity, have more than 12 months of operation, operate in competitive markets, be a complete and distinguished company and add the B clauses in your documents.
Check out the 124 B companies in the coffee industry around the world
Latin America (9)
- Daterra
- SanCoffee
- Juan Valdez Café
- Caravela Coffee
- Lohas Beans
- Presto
- Origin Coffee
- Cabra Negra
- Buna
- Nespresso
Europe (14)
- Coffee Circle
- Coffee Collective
- Boca Coffee
- Moyee Coffee
- Onsk
- Clever Coffee
- Kaffe Bueno
- Illicaffé
- Oxfam Fair Trade
- LOT61
- Debuencafé
- Rotterzwam
- Fairtrade Original
- Chacun son Café
United Kingdom (14)
- TrueStart Coffee
- Presto
- Origin Coffee
- Dark Woods Coffee
- Dear Green Coffee Roasters
- Volcano Coffee Works
- Dr Wakefield Company
- Amamus
- Coaltown Limited
- Sustainable Harvest
- CRU Kafe
- Cafédirect
- Bio-been
- Keepcup
USA and Canada (42)
- One Village Coffee
- Salt Spring Coffee
- Grounds for Change
- Larry’s Coffee
- Equator Coffees
- Coda Coffee
- Reunion Coffee Roasters
- Amavida
- Jim’s Organic Coffee
- Coffee by Design
- Nossa Família Coffee
- Wicked Joe
- Exilior Coffee
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters
- Endiro Coffee
- Steeped Coffee
- Olympia Coffee
- Aldea Coffee
- Propeller Coffee Co.
- Thread Coffee Roasters
- Cooperative Coffees
- Thanksgiving Coffee Co.
- Just Coffee Cooperative
- Peace Coffee
- Muskoka Roaster Coffee
- Stone Creek Coffee
- Red Bay Coffee
- Conter Culture Coffee
- Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Company
- Cafe Campesino
- Conscious Coffees
- Jordan’s Tombs
- Our Gorongosa
- Passenger
- BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages
- Higher Grounds
- Nourish Juice Bar
- Mulanje Tea Imports
- Commons Company
- Miir
- Grosche
- Thrive Farmers
Australia / New Zealand (6)
- Montville Coffee 2016
- Huskee
- Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters
- Sample Coffee Roasters
- Jasper Coffee
- SilverChef
