Faith In Nature has become the world’s first brand to put Nature on its board of directors.
The Manchester-based company, which has been making ethical beauty care products since 1974, also recently achieved B corp status.
Under corporate law in the UK, the purpose of running a business is obviously to make money; the B Corp movement introduces an additional purpose – people and planet.
Sustainability Director Laura Ford says: “Faith in Nature has strived to deliver on its mission to make better choices available to everyone, every day, for nearly 50 years now. We’re thrilled that these efforts have been recognised with the highly respected B Corp status, helping us to ensure that we remain a force for good in society.”
As well as its eco certification, B corp covers Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. It keeps businesses accountable on important decisions ranging from indoor air quality to employment opportunities in low-income areas.
Last year, Faith In Nature reimagined what could be made possible in UK Corporate Law by putting Nature on their board of directors (as well as introducing their new Sustainability role).
The company says their ‘planet-first mentality’, coupled with the question “What would nature say?” has been instrumental in the brand’s environmental choices, from sourcing 100% renewable energy to helping save over 100,000 kilos of plastic through recyclable and recycled packaging.
Faith first introduced recycled bottles in 1999 and was one of the first to introduce refillables to the market.
What the future holds
As B Corp status is reviewed every three years, the company plans more change across all scoring categories from Community to Environment before the next assessment.
Their new factory in Radcliffe, Manchester, is being developed with a focus on community engagement and support projects for local residents. Last year, the brand also successfully reduced the energy required in their manufacturing process by 40% and plan to reduce this by another 20% in the next 18 months.
Their partnership with Tree Sisters has also helped plant 33,515 saplings across the world since 2021.
Laura added, “Our commitment to making good environmental decisions stretches as far back as the 70s, where we were one of the very first to introduce refillables to the market.
“The only difference is we’re now a bit better at collecting the data to prove it! We couldn’t be prouder to join 1,300 B corps in the UK and to be adding our voice to this call for businesses to benefit people and planet, as well as making a profit.”
About B Corp
To apply for B corp status, brands are required to submit a Business Impact Assessment, which awards up to 200 points based on Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. Hard evidence is required to meet the scoring requirements, and there is a six-month wait to apply.
Challenges
As business is always evolving, innovations can bring challenges within the scoring process. As the first company in the world to appoint Nature to their board and ‘reinterpret’ corporate law in the UK, the company believes it has transformed what is possible; but being so new, it’s not recognised by B Corp (yet!). Faith In Nature, however, say this won’t stop them from continuing to reimagine what’s possible within the sustainable space.
