ZeroMission has just been certified by B Corp, a certification that so far only a few companies in Sweden hold. Congratulations to you! How does it feel?

It's great fun! Since our inception almost 20 years ago, we have been guided by our values. B Corp is a certification and a network for companies that want to do good. Now that we are approved, it shows that we live up to the high standards and can demonstrate to employees and customers that we really want to contribute to a better world.

Tell us, why has ZeroMission chosen to be certified by B Corp?

We chose B Corp because we think B Lab stands for strong values. It shows that companies want to take responsibility and go beyond what is required, especially in social and environmental sustainability. This is important both for customers and other stakeholders. B Corp will be a clear proof of that.

Henrik Juhlin, CEO ZeroMission

What changes will this bring to the way ZeroMission works?

It will help us to have a further increased focus on these issues. I believe it will make us a stronger supplier and also make it easier for us to recruit new employees. In practical terms, we will continue to work on the basis of the principles set by B Corp to do even more good and good things for the world.

What will it mean for ZeroMission customers?

For our customers, it is another verification that they are working with an actor who takes sustainability very seriously. It gives them a sense of security that ZeroMission as a company is doing the right thing and shows that we live as we learn.

Describe how you went about obtaining this certification. It sounds like a pretty rigorous process, right?

A rigorous process, indeed. We started a little over two years ago. The actual approach is to fill in a questionnaire from B Lab that is somewhere between 200-300 questions divided into different areas such as governance, social sustainability, governance, transparency and environment. You answer those questions, and at the same time submit evidence of all your answers. The evidence can be, for example, contract templates, collective agreements, sustainability policy and evidence of transactions that we have given to value-creating purposes outside our supply chain, etc.

The questions are then verified by B Lab, which has a verifier who goes through the questionnaire and digs into each question. It can be about anything from ownership structure to how we take care of our waste.

To be certified, a company must score at least 80 points, and we ended up with a score of 106, which is a very high score for first-time certification. The score is also something to work on to continuously improve.

What do you think certification will mean for ZeroMission in the short and long term?

In the short term, it has given us pride internally, and we want to show that we have met the tough requirements. We hope it will also boost confidence in us and what we do. In the long term, it fits perfectly with our strategy since the start in 2006 - to create value both for the business and the planet. Our business should make a difference. With B Corp and their network, we will continue to receive support and inspiration that will help us develop and become even stronger in the future.

I would encourage more companies to look at B Corp certification, we are happy to share our experience. I believe it can help them in turn to strengthen their brands, build long-term relationships with their customers who want to make conscious choices and with their employees.

Today, with us, there are 21 companies in Sweden that have this certification that they are a purpose-driven company. That is too few.

We see B Corp as the global network where you can learn and be inspired by others who are also driven to do good beyond financial gain. We encourage more companies to work for something bigger!