B Corp certification has served as a road-map for WOWOWA Architecture, as they grow their practice and further their commitment to cultural diversity, gender equality, pay parity and climate action. Here Monique Woodward reflects on the motivation to become a B Corp, the benefits and challenges of certification, and advice for others.
Motivation and values
WOWOWA joined B Corp™ as a reflection of our team’s values on climate action, cultural diversity, gender equality and pay parity and offered us a road-map for growing a practice that embraces the progression of businesses to put people and planet before profit. Our entrepreneurial business coaches were early adopters of B Corp and we always felt it was the right direction for our industry to head. We wanted to lead by example.
WOWOWA used our B Corp certification as a framework to grow from a small to a medium-sized practice, helping us shape and refine our values-driven approach to business. It’s baked into the DNA of our firm now and speaks to the impact we want to have in the world. This certification enabled us to expand and clearly define our business policies and procedures in alignment with these values.
The certification process
The starting point of the certification is the B Impact Assessment. This tool measures your company’s impact on its workers, community, environment and customers through a series of approximately 100 questions. It then produces a report of your impact, which can be compared to other companies around the globe. From these questions, you form a basis of improvements that you elect to be made to your company, to improve your impact assessment. You then go through a three-month verification period, where B Corp gets you to provide evidence on a series of your questions, for authentication. You are then given a score out of 200, and if you are above 80, you are certified!
We made many operational changes to become certified. We formalised some of our practice procedures, such as staff reviews. We also developed an Employee Handbook, outlining everything to do with our business, from how to recycle our rubbish, to our formal company policies. We formalised our relationships with charities and we became carbon neutral.
It took one of our WOWOWA team members nine months (part time) and more than 80 hours of time to be certified. It’s a big commitment but worth it.
B Corp impact
In practice, B Corp certification has made us more legally accountable to our promises. For our projects, we align our specification with likeminded companies that champion carbon neutrality or local manufacture.
WOWOWA has always been seen as climate advocates, social activists and diversity and inclusion champions, and this certification just cemented our commitment. Many philanthropic clients are drawn to us for this reason. We also have a lot of medical professionals as clients who also feel drawn to the mandate of good in the world.
Advice for others
Jump onto the B Corporation website and do an online assessment before you formally start the process. This will give you an idea of what you need to change or work on to get your score above 80 to certify.
WOWOWA Architecture is an awarded Architecture and Interior Design practice, founded in 2010. Its reach is both residential and public in scale, encompassing homes, schools and community places and spaces. The practice is committed to creating colourful, contemporary, ideas-driven spaces that reset the boundaries of environmental innovation and have a sense of humour – livability and lovability.
Photos: Martina Gemmola
