We’ve always been about balancing profit and purpose, and in 2018 this commitment was made official when we became a certified B Corp.
This means we’re more dedicated and accountable than ever, to being better – in the ways that matter. Becoming a B Corp is not only our official pledge to be a responsible business, but also to use travel as a force for good in the world. Peregrine Adventures now joins the likes of Patagonia, Ben and Jerry’s, Danone and over 2,700 other companies across the globe who stand behind their greater purpose as a business, not just their balance sheet.
What does our B Corp certification mean?
B Corps are a new kind of business that creates benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders. They are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
Certified B Corps are companies that look after their staff, work toward a more inclusive supply chain, and take corporate social responsibility to the next level. For us, becoming a B Corp means taking all the work we’ve already done – through both The Intrepid Foundation and our core operation – to the next level and conducting an extensive audit to ensure we’re meeting the highest responsible business standards. Not only that, we are required to re-certify every three years which will see us conducting regular audits to ensure we keep on improving year on year.
Who's in charge of B Corp certification?
The term B Corp stands for ‘B Corporation’, and the people behind the B Corp certification are called B Lab. They’re a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in the USA with offices all over the world. They exist to help companies be better – better for the world, not just for them and their shareholders.
How do B Corps work?
Companies become B Corp certified when they pass a minimum threshold of 80 points in their assessments. Points are awarded for how well a company is governed, how well staff are treated, and what they do to benefit communities, customers and the environment. Once the certification has been attained, it’s about making continual improvements to create even bigger impacts through the company business model.
How has B Corp certification changed the way we operate?
As a result of the B Corp process, we’ve made a number of changes to the way we operate including:
- Producing a public annual report, based on the Integrated Report framework, that provides a comprehensive and transparent account of how we operate and tracks our financial, social and environmental performance.
- Introducing three weeks paid parental leave (or caregiver leave) for all staff – regardless of gender, which is a big deal in many countries.
- Reviewing our suppliers, which has led to some fantastic changes, such as female homestay suppliers signing their own contracts in Egypt.
- Improving the gender balance in our staff. For instance, our global leadership team has equal number of males and females in the three years since we applied for B Corp certification.
If you want to see how we performed on our journey to becoming a B Corp, you can read our B Impact report here.
What does our B Corp status mean for you, our travellers?
We’re still running the same authentic, sustainable small-group tours across the globe with our dedicated local leaders at the helm. But now that we’re a B Corp, it means you can rest assured that the company people behind your trip is benefiting its people and the planet. You have our word, now sealed with an independent global stamp of approval, that we’re committed to our purpose beyond profit: using travel as a force for good in the world.