Written by: Lin Kuek
As the world faces escalating environmental and social crises, the ever-thoughtful Usha Menon dared to ask, “Can B Corps save the world?” in a commentary published in The Business Times. The honest answer is no, but her inquiry is understandable, if not a direct wake-up call.
After all, a record year for B Corp certifications points to a greater emphasis on social and environmental sustainability, governance, and accountability. Yet, in the same year the world experienced the highest recorded temperatures ever and the rolling back of progress on social development. Considering the $38-trillion annual price tag of climate change-related damages globally, to question whether B Corps can save the world is to also wonder whether the certification will mean something in the greater scheme of things.
As a company approaching our first B Corp certification anniversary, Vero has been reflecting on this very question. Usha is right in saying that B Corps alone may not save the world. No single organization, government, or individual can. The problems we face are existential, complex, and multifaceted, and so our solutions must be just as extensive and even more creative.
To be a B Corp is to be part of a larger movement towards more sustainable ways of doing business. Collective action must start with ourselves, challenging the (perceived) dichotomy of purpose and profit.
As we enter B Corp Month, what does it mean to be a firm trying to do its best on the journey towards a more sustainable future?
Becoming a B Corp
Vero aims to be the most progressive and innovative communications consultancy in Southeast Asia. This lofty goal entails responsibility in how we run our workplace and pursue sustainable growth, involving a robust code of ethics and professional conduct; work policies such as but not limited to unlimited leave and a 6-month maternity leave program across Southeast Asia that foster wellbeing and productivity; signing the Clean Creatives Pledge to refuse work with fossil fuel companies; and of course, becoming B Corp certified.
The journey towards certification was not easy, and rightfully so! It was rigorous, it was comprehensive and necessitated deep dialogue within and across teams. To be certified, an organization must conduct a meticulous self-assessment process across impact topics like workplace culture, stakeholder governance, fair wages, climate action, and environmental stewardship.
Our own assessment took a year to complete, empowering us to take a hard look at our operational processes and policies, and encouraging us to develop more programs that move us closer to our goal. These include The Good Shop, our second-hand shop at our Bangkok office, as well as our Greenwatching playbook and partnerships with like-minded organizations. In 2024, Vero partnered with EB Impact to support the Sustainability Media Academy, both in substantial funds and in services, to deepen engagement with media across Southeast Asia and empower journalists with the skills necessary to better report on sustainable development.
Photo Credit: Vero
An ongoing process
Getting certified is just the beginning. B Corps must be recertified every three years, and the standards evolve regularly based on multi-stakeholder input.
Undertaking the B Corp certification process gave us an opportunity to be transparent about how we operate and be honest with ourselves about the type of organisation we want to be. The certification standards also helped us identify areas for growth, ensuring that sustainability and ethical business practices are embedded into our long-term strategy.
In her piece, Usha highlighted the reputational benefits of being a B Corp, like increased consumer trust and improved investor interest, which show how purpose and profit are not mutually exclusive. The growing number of B Corps—over 9,000 of us—is proof that this is possible.
We’re already seeing the rewards of our advocacy. In our first year as a B-Corp certified consultancy, we have achieved double-digit growth and had our best year ever as a business, helped our client create impact while earning industry awards, maintained healthy net promoter scores amongst clients, and accelerated the careers for many of our 240-strong team across Southeast Asia. More than anything, we are humbled to embody the principle that growth and success come not from a profit-at-all-costs mindset, but through transparency, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to positive societal impact.
All together now
No one can save the world by themselves, but it is through collective action that we can right the course. As a B Corp, we know that being certified is not the final destination but a significant milestone in our stakeholder journey and like B Corps across the globe, we are using the tools from B Lab to continue to further our impact.
It is critical to keep expanding this movement, particularly in Southeast Asia, and B Corps like us have a role to play as we build collective voice for the movement. As we celebrate B Corp Month in a few weeks, it is even more important to be proud ambassadors of the movement, to share best practices and support for current and future B Corps, and to continue to demonstrate the force of good we can create, when we all work together.
On behalf of all of us at Vero, we want to say a big word of thanks to all fellow B Corps—thank you for walking the talk, for exemplifying what it means to combine purpose and profit, inspiring all of us every step of the way, and for doing it in style.
Photo Credit: Vero
ABOUT LIN KUEK
Lin Kuek currently leads the Vero team in Singapore and serves as Vero’s Head of Sustainability Communications for the ASEAN region. She has over 15 years of strategic communications experience in Asia, with a focus on sustainability.
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