Design & Build specialist Ditt Officemakers today announces its certification as a B Corporation. This makes it part of a growing group of companies that link business success with social engagement. Ditt Officemakers has been certified by B Lab, the non-profit organisation behind the B Corp movement, for meeting the strict requirements for a positive impact on the environment and society. This demonstrates that Ditt Officemakers’ business objectives extend beyond maximising profits.
Strict certification process
The B Corp Certification relates to the entirety of an organisation’s work and encompasses five key areas in which the organisation is making a positive impact: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. The process to achieve certification is a tough one: a benchmark score of at least 80 out of the maximum 200 points available is required of participating organisations.
Organisations must also demonstrate social and ecological stewardship in the areas of energy, waste disposal, water consumption, employee rewards, diversity and business transparency. Ditt Officemakers scored 89.5 points. In order to complete the certification, the organisation will document its “purpose beyond profit” commitment in its policy. Organisations with a B Corp Certification must renew it every three years.
Proud of teamwork
Hugo Meijer, Partner and ESG Specialist at Ditt Officemakers, is proud of the certification: “A B Corp Certification means: lots and lots of dedicated teamwork. You have to work across all areas of your company to operate as sustainably and socially responsibly as possible. We did this, for example, by making it clear to our suppliers that we have strict requirements for what we buy. Sustainability plays a major role in this, but so does the origin of materials and products. If they come from countries with poor working conditions, we do not use them.”
Another challenge, more focused on improving the internal organisation, was the merging of all individual policy documents into one clear manual. “We got our affairs in order in this area, too,” Meijer explains. “Our slogan is “Great Offices, Happy People” for a reason.” We put that ethos into practice for our clients and project partners, but also within Ditt Officemakers as an organisation. The B Corp Certification is an additional incentive to make an even greater positive impact in all those areas.”
Meijer emphasises seeing the certification as ‘a starting point’: “We want to focus even better and with more structure on designing and building sustainable working environments, and on social projects where we can make a difference with our knowledge and expertise. Ultimately, our goal is to inspire our entire industry to follow that socially responsible, sustainable path.”
Part of a global community
With the new certification, Ditt Officemakers has become part of a global community of 9,800 organisations, across a variety of industries, that can call themselves a B Corp. In the Benelux, there are just over 500 companies that can call themselves a B Corp, including Being, Rituals, Ace & Tate, Auping, Tony Chocolonely, Triodos Bank, and now Ditt Officemakers as well.
Tessa van Soest, Director of B Lab Benelux: “It’s great news that we can welcome Ditt Officemakers to the B Corp community. Their dedication to working in a different way will inspire other organisations and help spread the awareness that business success is just as much about the well-being of people and the planet as it is about profit.”
About B Lab
B Lab is transforming the economy for the benefit of all people and communities, and for the planet. As a leader in economic system change, the global network creates standards, policies and tools for business. In addition, B Lab certifies companies – better known as B Corps – that are leading the way. To date, more than 8,900 B Corps in 92 countries and 161 industries have joined the global community, and more than 200,000 companies are currently managing their impact with the B Impact Assessment. See also: www.bcorpbenelux.com.
