Overview
amika and Eva NYC are Brooklyn-based haircare brands, developing innovative styling and treatment products. Already committed to a ‘kind + clean’ ethos, the organization was ready to tackle a new challenge— enhancing climate action and sustainability. They embarked on a five-year plan with B Corp certification as the benchmark goal.
Services Provided
- B Corp Certification Consulting
- Project Management
Challenge
amika and Eva NYC were making strong progress, achieving a number of key milestones along the way. From its TerraCycle® partnership, emissions reductions, and a switch to post-consumer recycled and recyclable aluminum packaging, it’s clear these brands were living out their sustainability commitments.
But B Corp certification is a daunting process, and roughly 66% of applicants fail to achieve certification on their first attempt. Jamie Richards, Director of ESG for amika and Eva NYC, understood experienced outside support would streamline the process and set the organization up for success.
“B Corp certification is really hot right now, and so there’s only so much support B Lab can offer on its own,” Richards says.
You don’t want a situation where you have to constantly go back and update documentation because you can’t move through the data-gathering fast enough.
Working with a third-party consultant with extensive B Corp certification experience helped the client navigate the process without needing to add a dedicated internal resource.
The risk, Richards explains, is that company data can become out of date if the application process takes too long. To achieve B Corp certification, companies need to respond to 250-300 assessment questions and provide proof.
“We did it in less than 60 days because our documentation was so strong,” Richards says. “It was that guidance from Sensiba that allowed us to move forward so quickly.”
Jamie RichardsDirector of ESG, amika and Eva NYC
Solution
Sensiba stepped in to launch the company’s application push. It was a short-term engagement, designed to get the company through the assessment efficiently and successfully, with as limited disruption to the business as possible.
Recognizing the need for a structured approach, Sensiba customized a project plan to the client’s workflow, ensuring stakeholders were aligned and milestones were tracked. Sensiba added the plan to the client’s project management platform, providing real-time visibility into progress and timelines.
During project calls, Sensiba worked closely with each department to determine roles and responsibilities, identify quick wins, and anticipate potential bottlenecks.
Prioritization was a key component of Sensiba’s approach, taking into account the points available for each task, the client’s current state, and the resources required for proper documentation. This helped amika and Eva NYC focus on areas with the greatest impact.
In addition to task management and resource allocation, Sensiba helped amika and Eva NYC clarify B Corp assessment requirements, minimizing the risk of submitting incorrect or incomplete information.
Result
With Sensiba’s support, Richards met her timeline, just three months from kickoff to submission. Due to intense interest in B Corp certification, applications can spend several months waiting in queue. Then, once the vetting process has begun, most applications take 90 days to move through consideration.
In March 2023, less than one year after project launch, both brands were awarded certification. amika became a Certified B Corp with a score of 99.2 and Eva NYC earned certification with a score of 106.2, each one far surpassing the minimum 80-point threshold.
“For us, B Corp certification is further validation that we do have responsible business practices,” says Richards. “It’s hard to communicate your ethos to consumers, but BCorp status is a succinct, definitive way to do that.”
For companies interested in pursuing B Corp certification, Richards offers up two key pieces of advice: documentation and support.
“Documentation really matters,” she says. “Just because you’re doing something doesn’t mean you can get credit for it. Having a data process that can be managed is extremely important, so when it’s time to recertify, it’s not a massive effort.”
“Using a resource like Sensiba is incredibly helpful just to navigate the space,” Richards continues. “Having someone guide you and break it down into digestible pieces is going to make a big difference in how you get this effort off the ground.”
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