We live in a time when the world desperately needs business to step up and place less focus on shareholder returns and more focus on societal and environmental change. And for this recently certified bunch, becoming a B Corp was a key part of making this change happen.
Certified B Corporation, The Better Packaging Co., has fast grown from start-up to the world’s premiere supplier of home compostable packaging for e-commerce. The way they see it: packaging is necessary and helps prevent waste, but it can also be done a whole lot ‘Better’, and they are proud to have replaced over 60 million single-use plastic bags with plant-based, compostable alternatives since 2018.
Taking you Behind The B is Co-Founder, Kate Bezar, to share five things you ought to know about the new ‘eco’nomy – a waste-free circular economy where packaging can be a force for good.
Rebecca Percasky & Kate Bezar, Founders & Directors of Better Packaging Co.
1. Gratitude is a game changer
At Better Packaging Co., we start our weekly team meetings with a round of ‘Gratefuls’ where each team member briefly says something they are grateful for. It may be that they are grateful for someone else in the team, for rain after a long dry spell, for the football season beginning again, or for their local barista. It’s such an incredibly positive way to start the week and gives us a small insight into each individual and what makes them tick, while also reminding us of what’s important.
2. Strive to do good, not just ‘less bad’
When we first started Better Packaging Co., it was with the intention of reducing the environmental impact of packaging and waste. But what we’ve realised over the past 12 months, as we’ve developed our new POLLAST!C range (made from 100% recycled Ocean Bound Plastic pollution), is that we can make packaging that actually does a whole lot of good, rather than just ‘less bad’. We have revised our mission now to: use packaging as a force for good to combat pollution, poverty and climate change.
Photo by Edward Howell on Unsplash
3. There is strength in community
Sometimes the whole ‘doing things differently’ can be a little lonely, but that’s what we love about our B world. The B Corp community, or ‘eco’-system, is also becoming an extremely powerful force for good… and that is something we so want to be part of. Many of our customers are also B Corps; Bared Footwear, Citizen Wolf, GoKindly, Koskela, flora & fauna, Kester Black, Sendle, etiko, Stone & Wood Brewing Company, Duffle & Co., Glam Corner, Armadillo, Arnsdorf, Outland Denim – the list goes on! All of these mighty companies are very conscious of their impact on the environment, including their packaging choices, and we’re proud to partner with each of them to ‘Better’ that aspect of their supply chain.
4. Circular starts with a Better office environment
Once you start on the circular journey, very quickly every decision you make is made to minimise environmental impact. Being conscious and considered flows through every part of the business, including our physical environment. The most important thing we did was source all our furniture from online auction sites, or from friends, family and thrift stores. Sure, it took a lot longer to find what we wanted, and yes, the team was pretty sick of ‘camping out’ for weeks on end waiting for the perfect set of ten chairs to appear, but it was worth it. My Co-Founder Becs and I even do this with our clothes, buying only second hand so it’s ‘new to us’ but not new!
5. There are no downsides to greater diversity
We’re a team of 17 passionate individuals from a range of different backgrounds and cultures, but what you may not know is that our team has a really strong South American flavour! Our Finance and Northern Hemisphere Customer Service teams are all based in Buenos Aires and here in our Head Office in Aotearoa New Zealand, we also have Pedro in Logistics and Rafa in Product Development who are both Brazilian. Nós os amamos!
Thank you to Kate Bezar and Better Packaging Co. for submitting this piece as part of B Corp Month 2022 as we invite you #BehindTheB to uncover what makes a B Corp a better business. Find out more about how your packaging can become a force for good. and see how easy it is to make the switch to Better: betterpackaging.com
