As March marks the global B Corp Month, we’re thrilled to announce that after a thorough reassessment, our B Corp certification has been renewed for three more years.
You might wonder what does that mean. In this short article, we’ll explain what B Corp is and why supporting this movement is crucial for companies like OpenAirlines. By embracing B Corp principles, businesses can drive more sustainable, transparent, and fair practices.
What is B Corp and why does it matter?
B Corp certification measures a company's entire social and environmental impact. It is not only a certification for Impact Companies; it is a movement of link-minded leaders dedicated to doing business in an impactful, accountable, and transparent way.
Receiving this certification acknowledges the company's dedication to reshaping the industry and creating a more sustainable and inclusive future. Companies like Patagonia or Fairphone have paved the way, inspiring businesses like ours to follow suit.
A rigorous certification process.
To achieve certification, a company must demonstrate high social and environmental performance by scoring above 80 on the B Impact Assessment and passing a risk review.
Earning the B Corp certification involves a rigorous six-month assessment that provides a holistic evaluation of our business practices. This process goes beyond just ticking boxes; it forces us to reflect deeply on how we operate, ensuring that every decision we make aligns with our core values of sustainability, fairness, and social responsibility. The assessment covers key areas such as :
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Governance: Evaluating our mission, ethics, and transparency by diving through corporate decision-making processes and policies.
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Workers: Assessing our commitment to workers' financial security, health & safety, well-being, career development, and satisfaction.
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Community: Deep diving into the different stakeholders we operate with and analyzing our sourcing management.
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Environment: Checking the company's overall environmental practices. This includes the direct impact of our operations, as well as our supply chain and distribution channels.
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Customers: Review whether the company's products and services are designed to deliver a specific, material, positive impact for its customers (beyond the value typically provided from goods or services).
This assessment requires engagement across multiple teams as it evaluates our impact across many business areas. Through this article, we would also like to thank all the teams and people who made it happen.
Recertification as a scale-up
In 2020, OpenAirlines earned its first B Corp certification with a score of 92.1.
But as you might know, B Corp Certification is not permanent. As a company, you must earn it every 3 years.
Naturally, we embraced the challenge again! In 2023, we submitted our application for recertification, going through the rigorous evaluation process.
We are thrilled to announce that in 2024, we were certified with a higher score of 97.3! This means a lot to OpenAirlines. We were certified as a start-up the first time, and our growth into a scale-up never turned us aside from our commitment.
Why is it important for us as a company?
For us, B Corp is not just a certification; it’s proof of our commitment to doing business differently, even in a tech company. We care not only about profit but also about the planet and people.
We were born out of an ecological awakening in 2006. Sustainability is, therefore, at the heart of OpenAirlines’ mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable aviation through digital technology.We are a team of passionate innovators who want to revolutionize the aviation industry. Together, we are shaping the future of sustainable aviation. Our main goal is to build a game-changing product that positively impacts the environment and people. To guide us along our path, we have a north star: saved CO2. This is our purpose, and it is why we wake up and go to work every morning.
We do not stand alone in this commitment—our ecosystem of investors shares the same vision. Eiffel Essentiel, a private equity fund dedicated to financing the environmental transition, is B Corp certified. Likewise, Mirova, a mission-driven investment company, has also earned the B Corp label. Their dedication strengthens our collective efforts to drive positive change in the aviation industry and beyond.
B Corp Month is the perfect time to reaffirm our dedication to building a more inclusive and fair way of doing business. It is a daily reminder that every decision we make, from engaging with our employees to collaborating with suppliers and serving our customers, must align with our core values of social and environmental responsibility. We believe that this approach will drive long-term resilience for our company and industry.
Why is it important for customers?
B Corp is a high-quality standard across several markets. Globally, more than 9,000 companies are certified (and 500 in France), proving that they are delivering value and positive impact to their customers.
By embracing these rigorous standards, OpenAirlines ensures our customers, the #SkyBreatheCommunity, that we are applying fair business and transparent practices.
It is a safeguard to ensure the monitoring of customer satisfaction and the enforcement of security measures.
#BCorpMonth: A time to celebrate and inspire
#BCorpMonth is all about the B Corp™ community—a generation of people using business as a force for good across industries, regions, and cultures.
Gen B has arrived.
As a Certified B Corporation™, we believe in a future where businesses play a pivotal role in creating positive social and environmental change. This movement is powered by an emerging generation of people using business as a force for good. We call it #GenB.
This #BCorpMonth, we’re proud to join thousands of other B Corps globally in celebrating the collective efforts of businesses reimagining success beyond financial gains and prioritizing long-term value for people and the planet.
