November 5, 2024

Vestergaard redoubles B Corp commitment through recertification

Vestergaard’s 2024 recertification as a B Corporation shows the company’s continued commitment to high environmental and social standards

Vestergaard’s 2024 recertification as a B Corporation shows the company’s continued commitment to high environmental and social standards.

Vestergaard is a social enterprise improving lives through purpose-driven innovation in material science, notable for its PermaNet® range of mosquito nets to fight malaria. Initially certified as a B Corporation® in early 2021, the company successfully recertified in 2024 with a remarkable 22% increase in overall score.

The importance of B Corp certification

The B Corp certification evaluates a company’s social and environmental performance across multiple criteria, reaffirming the company’s dedication to sustainability and accountability. To become a certified B Corp, businesses must demonstrate their positive impact across five key pillars: governance, workers, community, customers, and the environment. The certification not only signifies adherence to high environmental and social standards but also highlights a commitment to transparency and ethical business practices.

For Vestergaard, sustainability is a core focus. The company is a member of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, with a mission aligned closely with the UN Sustainable Development Goals – reflecting a dedication to improving global health and protecting vulnerable populations. But through the B Corp certification, Vestergaard took the extra step of integrating a commitment to social and environmental responsibility into the business framework. By achieving certification, Vestergaard not only demonstrated its dedication to making a positive impact, but also gained valuable insights and tools to measure, manage, and enhance its sustainability performance.

Enhancing the B Corp score

Recertifying as a B Corp is a rigorous process that requires a comprehensive re-assessment of a company’s performance across the five impact areas. To support its recertification, Vestergaard leveraged the B Impact Assessment (BIA) tool, a mandatory and constantly evolving framework that provides benchmarks for best practices. Building off its first certification, Vestergaard identified opportunities to improve its score and implemented several key initiatives, including:

Cleaner Production Assessment (CPA): The company analysed its resource consumption, such as materials, water, and energy, and identified ways to optimize these processes.
Conduct a carbon footprint assessment: Vestergaard assessed their carbon footprint and identified opportunities for reduction deciding on which scope they should implement strategic initiatives..
Develop a materiality matrix: creating a visual tool helped the company to prioritise focus areas.

“The B Impact Assessment tool really helped us harmonise, strengthen and formalise the good practices that were already in place. Additionally, it supports our broader sustainability strategy.”

– Nicolas Schornoz, Chief Financial and Operating Officer at Vestergaard

At their site in Vietnam, Vestergaard worked closely with third party manufacturers to strengthen their sustainable supply chain, actively engaging stakeholders to align practices with B Corp standards. By focusing on energy efficiency and effective waste management, including recycling of waste water and proper management of chemical waste, Vestergaard successfully reduced the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations. Initiatives included simple repairs, such as repairing water leaks, as well as more substantial investments, like replacing ageing air conditioning units.

As a result of these efforts, Vestergaard’s environmental and overall B Corp score improved significantly, demonstrating the company’s continued commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices.

“We have the team in place to make sure that we are monitoring compliance with B Corp requirements properly, and performing data collection and validation of things in the right way.”

– Van Nguyen, Operations Manager at Vestergaard

Full interview

Watch the video to hear more from Nicolas and Van, in a conversation with Jonathan Normand, CEO & Founder of B Lab Switzerland, about the practices and actions they took to achieve the recertification.

Vestergaard’s commitment to employee well-being

The B Corp workers pillar measures a business’s efforts to create positive impacts for their workforce, including aspects such as communication, training and ownership opportunities, and work conditions. For Vestergaard, the recertification involved teams across the organisation, enabling a thorough assessment of the company’s commitment to employee well-being. This collaborative approach not only identified areas for enhancement, but is also strengthening the company culture.

Doing good is good for business

Vestergaard’s experience demonstrates the value of B Corp certification as a tool for driving sustainability and improving business performance. By undergoing the recertification process, Vestergaard was able to identify areas for improvement, implement new sustainability initiatives, and enhance their reputation as a responsible and ethical company.

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