3 Years of B Corp - 3 Big Lessons
10/23/2024
Three years ago, Bared became the first footwear brand in Australia to become a B Corp, certifying that the Bared values are more than just words - they are standards that we live and breathe every day.
B Corp stands for Certified B Corporations, and is awarded to businesses following an intensive application process. Companies must prove that they meet high standards of social and environmental performance, governance, and transparency.
At the time we became certified, we joined a cohort of 350 other B Corp businesses in Australia and New Zealand. That number has now more than doubled to 750. The B Corp application process is rigorous and not just an administrative task; it is an opportunity to reflect, and plan for improvement.
We believe that there is no final destination when it comes to sustainability and impact, rather its a constant journey and commitment to evolution.
To celebrate our third anniversary as a B Corp, we asked our founder and CEO Anna Baird to reflect on the 3 most important lessons she’s learned over the past 3 years - navigating the ever changing spaces of business, fashion, and sustainability.
Take action now. Strive for progression, not perfection.
The sustainability space is changing fast. Every day we’re seeing new material innovations, new standards, and new ideas. Being part of such a fast paced world is thrilling, but it can also be nerve wracking.
Will a better, more sustainable option become available? Will we find a better way to do things?
The truth is - things will change. That’s the only guarantee.
A great example of this is when we introduced our (now retired) Sugarcane footbeds, made from 60% sugarcane and 40% synthetic binding agents. Our goal with our footbeds has always been to reach 100% biobased content and it’s still one of our top sustainability priorities. At the time, sugarcane was the most sustainable option available to us.
Soon after, we found EVOCO’s B.plantfoam, which is made up of 72% biobased materials. We were so excited about this upgrade that we switched to it as soon as we could. I’m proud that we took that first leap with Sugarcane, made that impact and learned everything we could from the process.
Each moment that you delay sampling new materials or testing new procedures brings us closer to a future where nothing changes—and that’s a future that's not viable for our planet.
If there’s a better way to do something, do it now.
Question everything.
The world of sustainable innovations is an amazing space to be in. It’s overflowing with innovators, entrepreneurs, and passionate people; it gives me hope for the future of our planet.
As a retailer, our biggest opportunity for impact lies in improving the sustainability of our product. By sourcing lower impact materials, we enhance our products and reduce the footprint of our entire supply chain. That’s why material innovation is such a priority for us.
In the sustainability space, you absolutely have to question everything. This lesson has become a core value for us.
For years our customers had been asking for vegan leathers. When we first started looking we were amazed by the options that had become available. We found leathers made from pineapples, grapes, and mushrooms - it seemed that making sustainable shoes would be simple. But once we started digging, we realised that these leathers contained a huge amount of plastic to keep them durable.
Ask for the certifications, the material reports, the impact data—everything. And even then, don’t rely on those reports. Do your own testing to make sure you’re confident in the contents of that material.
But don’t lose hope—real sustainable solutions are out there. When we met with Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), the innovators behind our 100% bio-based vegan leather, MIRUM® we got it all—USDA Biobased certification, soil reports, material composition reports, supply chain transparency—everything.
Doing what’s legitimately the best for our planet, and your business means viewing everything with a critical lens and trusting your instincts. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Take people on the journey.
Your sustainability and impact journey doesn’t have a finish line. People don't expect you to be perfect, they want to know that you’re trying. There are parts of our shoes that are incredible - we’re so proud of our PLIANT™ outsoles, MIRUM® uppers, and GRS Recycled Cotton Laces. However, there are still plenty of components in our shoes that don’t meet our sustainability goals.
And the truth is, the perfect sustainable shoe is not going to happen tomorrow. There are going to be days when you feel like no changes you make in your business are ever going to be enough.
But what you can do is commit to taking your community on the journey with you. Through all your wins and challenges - sharing that knowledge.
When we released our B.plantfoam 72% biobased footbeds, we were one of the first brands to take this component to market, and we had originally lined them with cork. After a few days we realised that the cork lining had begun to peel off. Our incredible customer service team immediately jumped in, took our customers on the journey, explained why it was happening, and resolved the issue for them. That situation could have been disastrous, but instead we earned a lot of trust and loyalty from our customers - and we learned how to make a better product.
Transparency is always best, and your community will respect your honesty.
Achieving B Corp status doesn’t mean we’re perfect, but it does mean that we care, and reflects our genuine commitment to continuous improvement, and our belief in using business as a force for positive change.
We’re looking forward to sharing more of our sustainability journey with you. We want you to keep you informed about where we are at, where we are heading, the challenges we might be facing, and show you how to instigate change in your own spaces.
We can’t solve these complex problems on our own. It’s going to take us all sharing our knowledge, and working across our industries to drive real change for the future of our planet.