Walking the Talk: Our B Corp Recertification Journey

HappyPorch Recertifies as a Certified B Corporation®

Last year, we completed our B Corp recertification, and we are delighted to share that HappyPorch now has an overall B Impact Score of 101, up from 84.3 when we first certified in 2021.

When we first announced our certification, we wrote: “Business without meaning is just pointless admin.”

That belief still sits at the heart of HappyPorch. Business should be so much more than the exploitation of people and planet, it too often becomes. It should contribute, restore, and help create the kind of future we actually want to live in.

How it all started

Our journey to B Corp certification began six years ago, we have always been inspired by a desire to use business as a force for good, and our hope was that the B Corp process could help us on that journey. The process was rigorous and deeply reflective. We started our assessment in 2019, paused over the winter into 2020, and finally got back on track in summer 2020 with a little help from Ben. We submitted our application in November 2020, and after a seven-month audit process, we achieved certification in June 2021.

It was a significant investment in time and energy for a small team, but the real value was never the certificate itself. The B Corp process gave us a framework and independent oversight to reflect on our practices, help evaluate what mattered most, and identify areas for improvement.

What does recertification mean?

Certified B Corporations® are businesses that meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability. Certification, administered by B Lab, requires companies to complete a detailed assessment across five areas:

• Governance

• Workers

• Community

• Environment

• Customers
  
  

To qualify, a company must score at least 80 points out of 200. Our original 84.3 showed we were heading in the right direction. Achieving 101 at recertification shows that we have not stood still.

It’s important to emphasise that this is not a box-ticking exercise. The questions are searching, the evidence requirements are rigorous, and the reflection it forces is often uncomfortable. That is exactly why it matters.

A challenging year behind the numbers

It would be easy to present this recertification as a smooth upward trajectory. It was not. 2024 was probably the most challenging year in HappyPorch’s journey to date. 

Due to a combination of factors, we had a very lean year and made the tough decision to significantly reduce our team size. That is never an easy choice for any organisation. It affected livelihoods, confidence and momentum, and it was not a period we moved through lightly.

At the same time, it was a period that required honesty and maturity from all of us. The way people supported one another and handled difficult conversations reflected the kind of culture we have tried to build. The principles we talk about, trust, autonomy, shared responsibility and self-management, were tested in practice. Not perfectly, but in real and tangible ways. 

Stronger and more focused

Going through a difficult year while also completing recertification forced us to clarify our priorities. We are now a leaner, more focused team, slowly returning to a positive financial footing alongside renewed momentum in our mission. Recertifying with a score of 101 feels significant, not as a celebration of resilience, but as evidence that our commitment to purpose remains steady, even when conditions are challenging.

Is B Corp perfect?

No. The movement is not flawless, and there are debates about standards and accountability. What matters is that we, like other certified companies, have committed to continuous improvement. The initial 80 points is the starting line, not the destination.

B Corp are working on addressing some of these concerns - when we next recertify the process will be completely different - a prospect that is exciting as, hopefully, it provides further opportunity to strengthen our team, company and how we live our values.

It is a privilege to be listed alongside companies such as Beauty Kitchen and Wholegrain Digital, and many others who are trying to use business as a force for good. B Corp acts as a lighthouse, showing that business can and should be better than the accepted norm.

What next?

The certification framework provides structure and independent oversight. It helps us see where we are strong and where we need to grow. As a software partner working with purpose-led organisations, particularly within the Circular Economy, our ambition remains simple: we want our growth to increase our positive impact, not our footprint.

Recertification is not a finish line. It is another step on the journey of walking the talk. We are proud of the progress, but more importantly, we are committed to continuing the work, especially when it is hard.