The Who’s Who of Brand Certifications

ESG deserves serious effort. 💪 

You know it, and you want to show it......but how do you do that? 

One solution is a brand certification. 

But which ones exist, and which one should you choose? 🤔 

We’ve listed some here ⬇ 

 

B Corp – The Deep Dive

What is it? 

B Corp isn’t just a shiny badge—it’s a holistic deep dive into your whole business. 

We’re talking business model, operations, structure, work processes, and more. 

High standards in social, environmental, transparency, and responsibility?  

Yup, you bet. 

Areas covered: 

  • Governance 

  • Workers 

  • Community 

  • Environment 

  • Customers 

✅ Pros: Well-known, respected, and a great way to prove you’re the REAL DEAL. 

✅✅ Extra Pro: Our colleague Kamma is an Impact Manager and can help you through a B Corp certification. 😉 

❌ Cons: Some critics say it’s too easy to manipulate since it involves self-reporting. 

 

Butterfly Mark – Fancy and Niche 

What is it? 

Created by Positive Luxury, this certification looks at international regulations, future laws, and sustainability frameworks like the UN SDGs. 

Recertification is required every other year 2️⃣ 

✅ Pros: Based on compliance and industry best practice. 

❌ Cons: Not widely known outside luxury fashion circles. 

 

ISO – The Global Standards 

What is it? 

The ISO standards are mostly relevant for you if you have your own production. 

ISO sets standards for pretty much everything, but two of the most popular ones are: 

  • ISO 14001: Environmental management systems (improving environmental performance, taking proactive steps to reduce waste, energy use, and environmental footprint). 

  • ISO 9001: Quality management systems—implementing a QMS system, demonstrating commitment to quality, and keeping your processes tight. 

✅ Pros: Global recognition, strong credibility, and helps with legal compliance. 

❌ Cons: Can be pricey and requires ongoing internal audits. You can’t use the ISO logos 

 

SA8000 – The Worker Protection Badge 

What is it? 

A social certification to ensure fair treatment of workers worldwide. 

It measures social performers in eight areas, including everything from child labor to discrimination and wages. 

It’s relevant for your production units, showing how they manage in these eight areas. 

✅ Pros: It’s the leading social certification standard for factories and organizations across the globe, and it shows that you have a clear commitment to ethical labor practices. 

❌ Cons: As with many other certifications, there can be a lot of paperwork and complexities in supplier management. 

 

EcoVadis – B Corp’s Cousin 

What is it? 

Assesses corporate sustainability across four key areas: 

  • Environment: Managing natural resources, lowering emissions, preventing pollution. 

  • Social practices: Working conditions, health and safety, respect for human rights. 

  • Responsible procurement: Integrating sustainability in the supply chain. 

  • Ethics: Anti-corruption, trade regulations, data protection 

Companies get a holistic score based on their performance. 

✅ Pros: Boosts credibility, helps mitigate risks, and can open doors to new markets. 

❌ Cons: It can be pretty time-consuming. 

 

UN Global Compact – The Honorary Mention 

What is it? 

Not a certification, but a commitment to work by 10 sustainability principles. Covers human rights, labor rights, climate, environment, and anti-corruption. 

You also commit to contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainability Development Goals. 

✅ Pros: A great framework to guide your work. 

❌ Cons: No official certification, just an ongoing commitment. 

 

So, which one is right for you? 

That depends.

But, here are some guiding questions:

  • What are you looking for?

  • Do you want to focus on the environmental or social aspect, or do you want it all?

  • How much time and money are you prepared to invest?

Ugh, don’t you just hate it when people answer questions with questions? 🤦‍♀️

Or gives you a list without all the essential information you need to make a decision?

Trust us, we wish that we could give you a clearer answer and all the relevant information you need right here, right now.

But what we can do is offer you a chat, where we find the best match for you together! 🤝🏼 (and remember, we do not charge for a chat 😉)

Interested?

ANNE KATRINE BLIRUP