B Corp – Blueberry Financial needs to become a B Corp
B Corp are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. It is about balancing profit with purpose. We must be the change we seek in the world. All business ought to be conducted as if people and place matters.
With that in mind we have started by looking at the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and have started working towards helping with them.
The first one we have started work on is Goal 14 – Life Below Water – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, sea and marine resources for sustainable development.
Taking up over 70% of the Earth’s surface, the ocean plays a fundamental role in tackling human-induced climate change, whilst also bearing the brunt of its impact. Did you know that the oceans provide 50% of the oxygen that we breathe?! Not to mention the thousands of species that live in the water. We need to protect them and their homes.
We do not do anything directly with water and therefore we have chosen to support 2 charities in their endeavours:
- We have become a corporate member of the Marine Conservation Society
- We have joined the Surfers Against Sewage Ocean Project
Both of these charities help keep our waters clean and protect the wildlife that live in them.
How your money can help
Following on in this theme we invest client’s money with a portion in Positive Impact Investments. We use EQ Investors who are already a B Corp. 50% of their shares are owned by staff and the other half by the EQ Foundation to do more positive impact projects around the world, so they are living their values. EQ Investors is for clients who want to maximise their impact and returns, investing to solve social and environmental problems.
Examples of projects your money is invested in include:
Xylem – a global water technology company that finds and consults on water system challenges in 150 countries and then designs sustainable water management plans that address inefficiencies in water utilities and waste water treatment and that promote safe, sustainable water use. In 2020 they provided 4.1 million people at the base of the global economic pyramid access to clean water and sanitation, helped clients avoid 0.5 billion m3 of leakage water and treated 4.3 billion m3 of waste water preventing it from polluting natural freshwater ecosystems.
Vestas Wind Systems – a Danish renewable energy solution company thay produces, designs, installs and services wind turbines across the world. In 2020 Vestas wind turbines generated 435 million MWh of renewable electricity, avoiding 186 million tonnes of carbon emissions – about the same as taking 40 million passenger cars off the road last year.
Next time we will talk about the next goal on our list: Goal 15 – Life on Land . . .
