The United Kingdom’s oldest bartender-owned spirit business, The House of Botanicals, can today announce its successful certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp) on 22nd December 2021, joining a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. Home to three brands of Gin, Cocktail Bitters and Aperitivi & Digestivo, The House of Botanicals has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, as having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.
The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’ operations and covers five key impact areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. The certification process is rigorous, with applicants required to reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. To complete the certification, The House of Botanicals scored 102.1 and has legally embedded their commitment to purpose beyond profit in their company articles of association.
The House of Botanicals is the fourth spirit brand in the UK, and eighth worldwide, to achieve certification and is now part of a community of 4,200 businesses globally who have certified as B Corps. The B Corp community in the UK, representing a broad cross section of industries and sizes, comprises over 500 companies and include well-known brands such as The Guardian, innocent, Patagonia, The Body Shop and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole.
Recent attention on the spirit industry makes The House of Botanicals B Corp certification a notable step and signals a shift towards greater accountability and transparency in the sector.
[Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK], says “We are delighted to welcome The House of Botanicals to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good. We know that The House of Botanicals are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward”.
“We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from startups to multinationals and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector. Welcoming The House of Botanicals is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the spirits industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support The House of Botanicals in paving the way for a new way of doing things”.
“Being able to welcome The House of Botanicals to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Their commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit”.
There are currently over 600 B Corps in the UK and 4,200 worldwide. Other spirit industry B Corps in the UK are Sipsmith Gin, Bruichladdich Whisky and Hattier’s Rum.
