After three years of championing 'Better Business', we once again met the high standards of social and environmental performance to recertify as a B Corp. We are super proud to reaffirm our commitment to using our business as a force for good, and believe a better future will be born from openness, collaboration and curiosity. It is also our third year of being member of 1% For the Planet, which verifies our long-term financial commitment to environmental protection. Why did we become certified with B Corp? It acts as a legally binding commitment for us to consider the social, environmental and economic impact of all our decisions on all our stakeholders, from workers to suppliers to our customers and the environment. This commitment is important for us, to show you we truly care and are in it for the long run. Regular evaluation pushes us to be conscious of every aspect of our busines's impact. We sometimes talk in-house about ‘Zen Design’ which eludes to a 360 degree, spherical way of creating and thinking, where everything is as important as everything else. With the B Corp model, we can also show our customers how we do this in practice. As a small brand we have always endeavoured to be as fair and transparent as we can; whether towards our customers, our suppliers or our wider community and society in general. We firmly believe that we have a responsibility to preserve and protect the environment, not just where we have a direct impact through our supply chain but also through the way we approach design and the manner with which we engage people. We have a unique opportunity with our company not only to create beautiful products but also to inspire and influence our customers to consider what impact their choices will have for the future of the planet. But all of this takes a lot of effort when you are small and out on your own; we are classically limited by the physical amount of time and energy we can put in. Joining a community of businesses and organisations that are like minded can help to lift this burden. Together we can share ideas, support each other and at the same time provide the power of a clearly communicated global message that the public will recognise and hopefully respond to. Why now? Simply put, our planet can’t wait. What is B Corp? B Corp is a unique certification process, similar to Fair Trade. It obligates businesses like ours to meet rigorous 'triple bottom line' (social, economic and environmental) standards which means we are accountable not only for generating profits but also for creating positive social and environmental impacts. This is inspired by Gandhi’s famous invocation that we must be the change we seek in the world. By becoming a certified B Corporation we have proudly become a leader in a global movement of people using business as a force for good. What is 1% For the Planet? 1% for the Planet was started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) and Craig Mathews (founder of Blue Ribbon Flies). Both successful entrepreneurs, they recognized the power of collective action to protect the environment. Today it is a global movement inspiring businesses and individuals to support environmental solutions through annual membership and everyday actions. They advise on giving strategies, certify donations and can amplify the impact through the power of their network. The goal is to significantly increase the overall amount of global ‘dollars' going to help protect the planet with the smartest donations possible. For us, this is through our work with the Marine Conservation Society, with £1 (being 2% of our profits) being donating for every pair of shorts sold - happy days. We aren't going to stop here. While proud to have built a brand over the past ten years that can now proudly declare it a 1% For the Planet member, we are pushing ourselves to drive change in the industry. What’s most exciting now is where this will lead us next, both for our brand and our business as a whole. We see this as the first step on a long journey; it’s great to be recognised as a company that cares for more than just profits, but true success will come as we continue to grow without compromising the values that have got us this far. And in doing so continue to protect what we love most; create beautiful and sustainable swim shorts and give our customers positive choices.