Case Study: How did Profit Impact help Klyk achieve B Corp Certification?

Klyk is a London based tech company that aims to provide sustainable solutions for businesses to help them minimise their carbon footprint and reduce their electronic waste. 

By identifying the environmental impact of 48 million tons of e-waste ending up in landfills, Klyk has found a way to lessen their impact on e-waste and provide a practical solution for others to do the same. 

‍

Klyk has structured their business to accelerate the circular economy and take in tech through the recycling program, to then refurbish it, lessening the damaging impact of e-waste. 

‍

Here, founder, Arif Hussein, shares how Profit Impact created an actionable roadmap to plant sustainability firmly into their systems and procedures in order to achieve their B Corp status.   

‍

Looking beyond environmental sustainability?

‍

A truly sustainable business does not only have a responsibility to the environment but must also be sustainable in the way they run the rest of their business. 

‍Arif Hussein 

‍

For Klyk, this was imperative because they have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the environment but needed to implement and demonstrate those same ideals strongly within the business. 

‍

Arif understood that calling yourself a sustainable business and upholding sustainable standards day by day are two different things. 

‍

Klyk saw the importance of streamlining ethics, organisational structure and practices, and challenged them to work these to B Corp standards. 

‍

"You have to walk the walk as well as talk the talk"... I think this is a key phrase as we try to get to a more sustainable future for business.
Carbon offsetting is admirable but we need to see a change in the way businesses are operated day-to-day.
‍
‍Arif Hussein 

‍

To do this required a systematic identification analysis, planning, and implementation of actions designed to influence stakeholders. 

‍

This meant that Profit Impact and Klyk needed to sit down and work together to address each area within the business. 

‍

A step-by-step approach to the B-Corp framework

‍

After consulting with Sarah Whale, founder of Profit Impact, a plan was created that was achievable despite their current workload.

‍

1. Through a Discovery session, we understood broadly how Klyk compared to a B Corp. We looked at what was important to them, their values, their existing strategy and financials. With all this information we were able to set out a plan to take Klyk forward on their B Corp Journey.
   ‍
2. Sarah and Arif's team then met over a series of online workshops to work out how each element of the B-Corp framework applied to their business. Focusing on specific areas made the process much more manageable. 
   ‍
3. Finally, Sarah summarised and prioritised the plan, identifying now, next, and later goals.

‍

For each business area, several key tasks and solutions were made, here are a few examples:

‍

• Finance and Governance - Embedding stakeholder engagement around social and environmental performance with a plan for ESG goals.
  
  
• Employees - Skill-based training & financial support to employees.
  
  
• Communities - Volunteer, Charity and Diversity tracking.
  
  
• Environment - eWaste policy.

‍

A clear path towards B-Corp certification

‍

People can believe that just because you sell a product which benefits the planet or society then you are sustainable.
This is just part of the story.
Managing and measuring your impacts across your entire business will be what gives you the full picture.
Klyk's picture is that of holistic, and considered business decisions.
‍
Sarah Whale

‍

Klyk saw the importance of obtaining a credible and external certification to give confidence to current (and hopefully new) customers that they practice what they preach. Through implementing key governance policies for their stakeholders, Klyk ensured their mission was protected both in what they do and within the core of their business. 

‍

The B Corp accreditation process demands honesty and transparency, both key characteristics that Kylk demonstrated throughout the process that allowed their B Corp status to be achievable. 
‍

It was a great process to be involved in. It really made us think about our business.
A big thank you to Sarah Whale, who helped us through the process.
‍
‍Arif Hussein 

‍

If you would like to hear more about Arif Hussein’s, founder of Klyk, personal journey and experience of the B Corp certification process, we urge you to read his blog on what he learned about building a sustainable business.

‍

Do you need help embedding sustainability practices into your business systems and procedures?

‍

Profit Impact offers tailored solutions to provide businesses with long-term sustainable impact and increased financial value.

‍

We can help, arrange a first meeting and contact sarah@profit-impact.co.uk today. #ConsciousBusinessPerformance

‍