Kirby Architects has found B Corp certification extremely helpful in reinforcing its commitment to community-focused projects, opening up new opportunities, and bringing more rigour to its operational procedures and systems. Kirby Roper and Heather Knowles take us through the benefits, challenges and impact of B Corp certification.
Values and benefits
Kirby Architects has been on a journey evolving our practice. Achieving B Corp certification has been a significant milestone, reinforcing our commitment to community-focused projects and strengthening our opportunities to work on impactful projects, especially with local and state governments.
The work we’ve done to gain B Corp certification has contributed to the evolution and growth of our practice. Being a B Corp sends a message of our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials, offering a clear and meaningful way to communicate our commitment to responsible and sustainable practice.
It’s a kind of shorthand proof of our values.
Motivation
We decided to get certified because of the alignment between our values and B Corp. We were impressed by their focus on working for good by adopting values in business to create a wider good throughout society. And it’s an idea that they express quite simply. The B Corp logo works as a recognisable message. People and client organisations can be confident that when they deal with us, we start new relationships from a basis of trust. Clients prefer to engage with businesses with the same ethics and approach.
Seeing other architecture practices that we admire becoming certified also encouraged us to get started. We reached out to some of those for a chat to get an idea of what was involved. This sense of community and shared values is a significant part of the B Corp journey, making us feel connected and part of a larger movement.
The certification process
The process can appear daunting at first. We started by filling in a long questionnaire with a scoring system. This identified our strengths in relation to certification and areas we needed to work on. The support and communication with B Corp is mainly provided online and it was very helpful.
The biggest challenge was to gather relevant data from within our practice to quantify answers to questions and provide evidence where needed.
We expected certification would take about one year. In fact, we completed it in around nine months.
Clients and projects
We have experienced a big change. We are really enjoying working with clients who are like-minded, and we’re working on more projects that are doing good in our community. This positive impact on the community is something we are proud of and find deeply satisfying.
B Corp impact
We enjoy how B Corp keeps us focused on our goals and values. It’s a kind of touch point that is always there in the background. We don’t do anything different on our projects because we were already very much aligned with B Corp values. Where it has shaped our practice is in our thinking about practice structure, sharing with others and developing equity options. Because certification is based on data, and re-certification occurs every three years, we have strengthened our operational procedures to capture and store data.
B Corp sets a high benchmark, so it’s important to keep on top of your data and how your practice is organised. In architecture, we’re always pushed for time, right? So being organised, having sound systems and getting others involved when you need them has been helpful. Share the workload.
Opportunities to engage
We’ve been impressed with B Corp‘s range of events, which give us the chance to connect with other organisations in the B Corp family. It’s not just architects but all kinds of businesses with like-minded goals. We’ve made some valuable connections through those opportunities. I highly recommend taking advantage of that.
Advice for others
Talk to practices who have achieved their B Corp certification for inspiration, ideas and helpful advice. This community wants to help others succeed in BCorp and spread the good.
Then, talk to B Corp and get started. You can work on your initial survey without a full commitment. Be prepared for some extra work. We made a regular weekly commitment to work on our certification, so it wasn’t pushed to the side. That got us through.
Kirby Architects, led by director Kirby Roper, brings over 25 years of expertise in residential, institutional and community architecture across Victoria. A certified B Corp since 2023, the practice embeds social and environmental responsibility into every project, creating designs that prioritise sustainability, equity and positive community impact. The B Corp values ensure that designs not only meet client needs but also contribute to a more resilient and inclusive built environment. Guided by the trademarked Lifestage™ approach, Kirby Architects crafts adaptable spaces that evolve with their users. The work spans community facilities to bespoke homes, all reflecting a commitment to innovation, inclusivity and sustainability.
