Italy second in the EU for the number of B Corp

There are many Italian companies that choose the sustainable and regenerative paradigm, careful to measure the impact of their performance on the environment and society. The up-to-date picture of B Corp certified companies in European Union emerges from the Italian B Corp movement. "According to the most recent data (May 2023)," reads the Document, "Italy ranks on the podium of European countries committed to sustainability, ranking second with a total of 231 B Corp companies, preceded by France, in first place with 304 B Corp companies and followed, in third place, by the Netherlands with 212 B Corp companies.

Interestingly, there is an increasing economic trend towards sustainability. In Trentino there are more than 1,300 companies with organic certification, which has increased significantly in the last decade (+139%). We are talking about food producers, engaged in an export-oriented market, especially in those countries where the prestige of Made in Italy is reflected in consumer choices. This is the picture that emerged from the survey carried out by Nomisma for Trentino Sviluppo, the Agency of the Autonomous Province of Trento in charge of the sustainable promotion of Sistema Trentino through innovation, marketing and collaboration between companies. The survey aimed to highlight the mapping of the cluster of organic companies and the realisation of an in-depth survey on the French consumer with the objective of identifying the status, positioning and development potential for Trentino organic products on the transalpine market.

According to a classification compiled by Corporate Knights, there are ten most sustainable companies in the world. The best use of resources and its own capital, including the best working conditions for employees are the values respected by BMW. The results are presented annually at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The second company is Dassault Systemes (software house, France), then there is Outotec (construction and engineering, Finland), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (sector: banking, Australia), Adidas (sector: textiles, Germany), Enagas (sector: energy, Spain), Danske Bank, StartHub (sector: telecommunications, Singapore), Reckitt Benckiser Group (sector: cleaning products, UK), City Developments (sector: real estate, Singapore).

In this context, Europe continues on its path towards sustainability. "During 2021 and the past part of 2022 - as stated in the Greenitaly 2022 Report - numerous legislative measures were issued by the European Commission. It all started with the approval of the EU countries of the 55% emission reduction targets by 2030 as a step to pursue the net-zero carbon goal by 2050. Various actions have been taken to pursue the climate goals by the European Union: dedicated funds, measures to prevent carbon (such as 'climate duties' on imports), dedicated tools such as the European emission permit trading system (ETS). Not only that. Directives on energy efficiency and renewables, and regulations on sustainable mobility (electric and alternative fuels)'.

The sustainability is a necessary tool to sustain competitiveness, a company's reputation, profitability. Recent studies and analyses suggest different answers on how to integrate sustainability into corporate business. To understand them there is a research carried out by Ernst & Young entitled "Integrating sustainability into core business" where the global network identifies the five meanings of the concept of integration between sustainability and business. "Drive to operational excellence because it enhances the ability of processes to achieve expected results; integrated thinking in which integration is a new holistic way of thinking about business; driver of innovation because integration generates new ways of product innovation; response to a changing world understood as the ability of companies to understand and interpret social, environmental and economic changes; new models of social impact where new business models are established."

If we read more closely the data of the community of B Corporations in Italy we can clearly see how determined Italy is in its commitment to protecting and preserving the ecosystem. And this is demonstrated above all by the considerable number of companies in the country that personally decide to generate a positive impact on the entire economic, environmental and social ecosystem. Not only that. The presence of B Corporations on the ground also gives them a greater focus on continually improving their own performance.

Looking at the results of the community of B Corporations in Italy, we note that the study highlights a national overview of the sectors with the largest number of B Corporations. "Among these," the paper reads, "the food products industry stands out with 16 companies, business consulting with 15 B Corporations and personal services with 10 companies. Lombardy is the region with the largest number of B Corporations in the country with a total of 88 companies, followed by Emilia-Romagna with 32 B Corporations, Veneto (29 companies), and Lazio (24). Among these regions, Lazio is the most virtuous area, having the highest number of companies with the highest scores. Second and third place go to Emilia-Romagna and Veneto respectively'.

Also according to the study by the community of B Corporations we can see the number and turnover of these economic entities. "The more than 6,800 B Corporations scattered around the world," reads the document, "have a turnover of more than 200 billion dollars, more than 1,300 are in the European Union (another 1,360 in the UK) and register a turnover of more than 57 billion euros. Not only that. More than 240,000 companies use the B Impact Assessment to measure their social and environmental impacts. In Italy there are 231 B Corporations that employ over 16,000 people, generating a turnover in excess of 10.9 billion euro'.

This increases the focus of companies on improving their performance. This translates into the willingness of B Corp to measure their progress over time and continue to optimise their practices and processes, also through the tools provided by B Lab. Among the 231 Italian B Corporations, 59% of those that recertified recorded a higher score than that obtained in the previous certification, demonstrating a clear path of evolution even once they became B Corporations.

The impact measurement therefore plays an increasingly important role for companies. In this context, 3Bee has released XNatura: the biodiversity monitoring protocol validated by a third-party certification body. An innovative approach based on scientific data to guide concrete actions in the field. XNatura was born from the synergy of technologies developed by 3Bee and partnership with organisations and research institutes - including ESA, UniTo, UniNa and Crea - and combines data collection and analysis in a single advanced framework. XNatura therefore allows monitoring with precision the suitability of an area and the presence of pollinator insects, providing data that complies with international reporting standards such as EFRAG and GRI, now mandatory according to the CPRD. An opportunity for companies to design targeted interventions and actively engage in the protection of biodiversity. Want to know more? Article by Francesco Fravolini