Krystal becomes a Certified B Corp!

Krystal is now the world’s first (and only, at the time of writing!) certified B Corp web hosting and public cloud provider, joining a global movement of forward-thinking businesses including Patagonia, Danone and Innocent. And the best bit? Our certification is just the beginning.

Business as a force for good

The concept of a B Corp was created by B Lab, a non-profit network with a mission to transform the global economy.

B Lab works on the premise that most challenging problems cannot be solved by governments and charities alone. Instead they seek to leverage the resources and innovation of businesses to benefit all people, communities and the planet. Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. B Corps redefine what ‘success’ means, balancing profit with purpose to work towards a collective goal.

The tenets of the B Corp movement are:

• That we must be the change we seek in the world.
• That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place matter.
• That, through our products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.

There are currently over 6,000 B Corps spread across 89 countries, with more than 1,100 headquartered in the UK alone. And that number is growing fast!

Why did we become a B Corp?

Simon Blackler created Krystal in 2002 to be a vehicle for positive change that could last millennia. Becoming a certified B Corporation is a natural step on that journey and further enshrines our purpose as a company that exists to make a difference.

The certification process challenged us to transform our operations, collaborate in new ways, and change the way we do business to better serve people and the planet. We hope that it will convey a clear and ‘official’ message that the company is backing up its words with action, as well as providing inspiration for other businesses thinking about balancing profit with purpose. But this is just the start. As Krystal grows we’ll continue to seek out innovative and meaningful ways to create a positive, lasting impact.

How did we become a B Corp?

Achieving B Corp certification is not a simple task, but it’s a worthwhile one. It requires a thorough assessment of your impact on your workers, customers, community, and environment. It enables a fresh perspective on all aspects of your operations, not only transforming your business for the better but futureproofing it too.

Our journey to certification began on 27th September 2021 and took 15 months to complete. To start, we had to submit our initial assessment (BIA). This gave us a clear idea of our current position and what we needed to do in order to become B Corp. Thankfully, the way Krystal operates (transparent, honest, fair and putting planet and people first) meant that we were better placed than many to adjust to B Corp standards.

To qualify, we needed to score at least 80 out of 200 points in a self-assessed performance assessment focusing on B Corp’s five key categories: governance, workers, customers, community and the environment.

Once complete, B Lab verified our score, analysing and verifying our performance in each key area.

We were then given a direct contact at B Lab, who worked with us over the next ten months, auditing our business and reviewing our policy & standards to ensure that we passed the rigorous standards needed to become certified along with the legal accountability requirement. We then signed the B Corp Agreement and Declaration of Interdependence.

What happens next?

Getting certified is just the beginning for Krystal. The real work starts now. B Corp Certification not only marks the culmination of a journey but also the start of an exciting new chapter as we join a dynamic and supportive community of like-minded companies in the UK and across the world.

Our certification publicly expresses our commitment to sustainable business, but it also provides us with a way to be held accountable while we work together with other B Corps to build an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, transparency and accountability, we publicly list our impact score on the B Lab Directory and we’ll recertify in 3 years. This gives us the opportunity to further improve and benchmark our impact. Between certifications, we’ll publish annual reports detailing how we’re improving and what impact we’re having. We’re 100% focused on maximising our positive impact and recognise the opportunity to do so through the B Corp framework and community.

Be part of the solution

By using Krystal services you’re helping the B Corp movement and the planet too. Supporting our way of doing business will not only help us to maximise our impact, but also send a strong message to other businesses to put planet and people on a par with profit, or see those profits disappear. Money talks, as they say.

Looking to apply for certification? Any business that’s operated for profit in a competitive market for at least 12 months can apply. You can find all the information you need at bcorporation.net. Already a B Corp? Fantastic! For the rest of B Corp Month (March 2023) we’re offering all Certified B Corps a free assisted migration - come talk to us!