South Pole GmbH, South Pole's German entity, has today announced its certification as a B Corp. South Pole Germany is the third South Pole entity after Australia and the US to be certified under B Corp's high standards of social and environmental responsibility and transparency. It joins an international movement of 5,500 purpose-driven businesses, including Patagonia, Nespresso and Weleda.
"Since its foundation in 2006, South Pole has followed a dual purpose: climate action and climate justice. We are extremely proud that this commitment to using business as a force for good was acknowledged by this latest B Corp certification. We look forward to collaborating with fellow purpose-led organizations in Germany and around the world" said Dr. Jochen Gassner, Global Head of Commercial at South Pole.
The B Corp certification recognises the positive role South Pole has played in driving decarbonization since its foundation in 2006. The nearly 1,000 projects that South Pole has developed in over 50 countries have reduced over one gigaton of CO2 emissions, have helped protect or restore more than 55,000 km2 of land and created more than 100,000 jobs in less privileged communities that are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
"The B Corp certification is an independent and holistic assessment, from environmental stewardship to employee empowerment. To achieve the B Corp certification, a company has to achieve high social and environmental performance, make legal commitment and exhibit transparency. We congratulate South Pole Germany on its certification and look forward to welcoming the company to our B Corp community! As a movement that aims for system change, we look forward to supporting South Pole Germany on their journey and hope that their certification will also inspire their partners and customers to join the B Corp movement!" said Annika Wohlert, B Lab Germany Community Manager.
South Pole Germany scored 98 points out of 200 on the B Impact Assessment. A minimum of 80 points is required to achieve B Corp status. To certify as a B Corp, businesses must meet high standards across five areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. South Pole Germany's scores are published transparently on the B Corp website.
South Pole is committed to achieving B Corp certification globally across all of its local entities.
B Lab is the nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. B Lab creates standards, policies, tools, and programs that shift the behavior, culture, and structure of capitalism. We mobilize the global B Corp community towards collective action to address society's most critical challenges, and we collaborate with governments, academia, coalitions, and other institutions to drive economic systems change.
By harnessing the power of business, B Lab positively impacts more than 150 industries in more than 85 countries, helping them balance profit with purpose. Together, we are shifting our economic system from profiting only the few to benefiting all, from concentrating wealth and power to ensuring equity, from extraction to regeneration, and from prioritizing individualism to embracing interdependence.
Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet the high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Certified B Corporations are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Unlike other certifications for businesses, B Lab is unique in our ability to measure a company's entire social and environmental impact.