The carry brand is one of the first Australian businesses to certify on B Lab Standards Version 2 (V2). Today, their team shares what surprised them about the new standards, what they’re proudest of, and hints for businesses preparing to certify or recertify.
From pick-and-choose to solid marks across the board
B Lab Standards V2 replaces the 80-point, flexible approach of Version 1.6 with requirements across seven Impact Topics. The Bellroy team went in unsure about the change, but are out the other side grateful for the experience.
“We expected we’d have obvious strengths in some Impact Topics, and there would be other topics where we’d have a lot more to work on, like a mix of grades on a school report,” says CEO and Co-Founder Lina Calabria. “It turned out that we were working from a strong base.” There were gaps to close, but the process helped show that Bellroy was on the right track.
Sustainability Manager Joanna Dai found the rigour “surprising but needed.” The seven Impact Topics, she says, “reflect today’s sustainability landscape,” and the shift was “a significant upgrade.”
Recognising what they already did
A B Corp since 2016, Bellroy is well-seasoned in measuring its impact. Even with several recertifications under their belt, the team found the new standards helped group existing work and acknowledge it formally. The clearest example is product redesign for inclusivity, a requirement under the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Impact Topic (JEDI2.r). For evidence, Bellroy submitted two pieces of work:
- A non-gendered, size-inclusive backpack redesign backed by international biometric data
- Removing gendered categories from its website, which it treats as a product in its own right
Their auditor said Bellroy was the first company he’d seen meet this requirement, because adapting products in response to feedback is “a lot of work and a high bar.” The thinking now carries into Every, a new non-gendered product range with sizing small to extra large, shaped by ongoing external feedback.
“In some cases the standards said, ‘Here’s what you’re doing that you can acknowledge and recognise,’ and in others, ‘Here are some things you need to do.’” — Lina Calabria, CEO, Co-Founder and Director, Bellroy
Putting ideas into action
The standards also prompted work in new areas, guided by requirements in Impact Topics like Purpose & Stakeholder Governance and Climate Action:
- A grievance process. It gives stakeholders a new channel to raise concerns as Bellroy grows, enters new markets, and executes new strategies.
- A climate action plan. Bellroy had been making many decisions in line with the now-documented plan, but hadn’t written down what it would do and how it would do it.
- A structured Community program. Chief People Officer Clare Scott says the team is most excited about defining what community means for Bellroy, inside and out – how it brings the team together and how it shows up for the places where it lives and works.
Bellroy’s practical tips
For businesses preparing to certify or recertify on V2, Bellroy’s experience points to six things to do.
- Start with an honest look at what you already do. You may be closer than you think. Map existing practices against each Impact Topic before assuming you need an overhaul.
- Treat gaps as prompts rather than failures. Bellroy needed a grievance process and a written climate action plan. The standards gave the push to formally put them in place.
- Give credit to your everyday work. Some of your strongest evidence may sit in core operations, like Bellroy’s product design. Do a review with the requirements in mind: group it, name it, and document it.
- Write down decisions you’re already making. If you act on a policy informally, articulating it is often a quick win, and you need it documented for the audit process.
- Use the interpretation support available. Bellroy relied on B Lab resources on the Knowledge Hub to unpack the requirements and implement them quickly.
- Plan ahead for your next size band. Requirements step up as you grow. Bellroy expects to recertify as a different size, with more to meet under the Purpose & Stakeholder Governance and Climate Action Impact Topics, so the team is already looking ahead.
Why recertify? A higher bar, a stronger movement
For Bellroy, B Corp Certification offers two things. First is a rigorous check-in. “B Corp Certification makes it easier for us to consider all the areas that aren’t naturally part of the flow of what we do,” Lina says. The standards draw on leading frameworks, academic research, and wide consultation to “find the corner we missed.”
The second is the B Corp community. “At events with other B Corp companies, there is a real connection and natural affinity. We very much enjoy being part of, and being able to learn from, this community of interesting organisations.”
Ready to take the next step?
Whether you’re starting your B Corp journey or preparing to recertify, V2 is a chance to recognise what you already do well and find the corner you might have missed. Get started on B Impact.
