BrewDog has lost its B Corp status less than two years after joining the scheme which certifies a company’s commitment to ethics, environment, community and staff.
The Ellon-based brewer achieved the designation last February, with chief executive James Watt stating at the time that he was proud to join a “global community of businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance to help build a better world”.
However, a spokesperson for B Lab, the organisation behind the certificate, confirmed that BrewDog is no longer a B Corp, although it commented no further on the change.
The Guardian reported that BrewDog is understood to have been subject to an investigation by B Lab following the Punks With Purpose open letter last summer from disgruntled former staff, which was followed by a BBC Scotland documentary investigating complaints from several current staff about workplace culture.
B Lab did stated that it investigates “material, credible and specific claims” against companies on the grounds of either “intentional misrepresentation of practices, policies, or outcomes claimed during a company’s certification process”, or “breaches of the B Corp community’s core values”.
A BrewDog spokesman responded that it had ”stepped aside” from B Corp, with a focus instead on the objectives within its own BrewDog Blueprint set of internal ethical and sustainable committments.
”B Lab had requested additional measures from BrewDog and the board decided that these were not something we could do at this time.
”Though we remain committed to the values upheld by B Lab, we believe our business is currently best served by focussing on the Blueprint, as well as very specific sustainability targets related to our Lost Forest project and the continued ramp-up of our AD facility.”
The statement also noted that last month, the brewery was awarded certification as a Carbon Negative Company by Positive Planet.
”The current crisis has taught us that we need to be laser-focused on those areas of our business that deliver the most real terms value – that means the Blueprint and all that entails, in particular our commitment to our three core pillar of people, beer, planet, but also on making the operational changes that will enable us to get through the current financial crisis, while maintaining our commitment to demonstrable sustainability initiatives.”
B Corp companies also have to pay an annual fee on a scale based on sales. Companies with sales of up to £150,000 pay just £1,000 but those making £750m or more have to pay £50,000.
When it was initially assessed, BrewDog scored 81.8 out of a potential 200. For context, the outdoor clothing brand Patagonia is has a score of 151.5.
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