Sustainability claims are everywhere. Proving them is another matter.
At Project Merchandise, we’ve always believed responsible business should be transparent, measurable and open to scrutiny. Becoming a Certified B Corporation was an important milestone in that journey.
But for us, the badge isn’t the destination. It’s a framework that helps us hold ourselves to higher standards and pushes us to continuously improve the way we work.
A Framework That Keeps Us Honest
Anyone can claim their business is doing the right thing. The harder part is proving it.
That’s where B Corp comes in.
Certified by B Lab, the B Corp standard measures how businesses perform across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. To qualify, companies must meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
In other words, it asks businesses to back up their claims with evidence.
For us, that scrutiny was part of the appeal. The process challenged us to review how we operate across the entire business, from our supply chain and sourcing standards to how we support our team and engage with our wider community.
A Benchmark for Doing Business Differently
Merchandise has long had a reputation problem.
Too often it’s associated with products that are quickly forgotten or discarded. We’ve always believed it can be done better.
Our B Corp certification reflects that belief. It recognises the work we’ve done to reduce waste, prioritise better materials, and help our clients make more conscious choices when it comes to branded merchandise.
It also reinforces something we’ve said from the start: sustainability should be built into the foundations of a business, not bolted on afterwards.
That thinking sits at the heart of our verified Impact Business Model, which focuses on conserving resources and reducing the environmental impact of the merchandise we produce.
Proof, Not Promises
Sustainability language can be confusing. Terms like “eco” or “green” are often used without much explanation behind them.
One of the reasons we value B Corp so highly is that it cuts through that noise – it requires businesses to provide evidence for their practices and publish their impact scores openly. It also requires recertification every three years, ensuring companies continue to improve rather than standing still.
That commitment to transparency matters to us, and increasingly to the clients we work with. Procurement teams, in particular, want confidence that sustainability claims are verified rather than implied.
Progress, Not Perfection
Our B Corp journey didn’t end with certification.
In fact, it marked the beginning of a new phase of improvement. When we recently recertified, our impact score increased from 82 to 93.4 – a reflection of the steps we’ve taken to strengthen our environmental performance and deepen our impact across the business.
But the goal isn’t simply to chase a higher number, it’s to keep asking how we can do things better. Whether that’s improving the materials we offer, reducing emissions across our operations, or supporting initiatives that deliver real-world environmental impact.
You can read more about our certification and impact score on our B Corp page.
A Community of Like-Minded Businesses
Another reason we’re proud to be part of the B Corp movement is the community itself.
Across industries and countries, B Corps share a common belief: that business can and should be a force for good. Being part of that network creates opportunities to learn, collaborate and raise standards together. It’s encouraging to see more organisations thinking carefully about the role they play in shaping a more responsible economy.
Why It Matters for Our Clients
For the brands we work with, choosing merchandise isn’t just about finding something that looks good – it’s about ensuring the products they put into the world reflect their values.
We see this most clearly in long-term partnerships, where brands want merchandise programmes that are consistent, responsible and designed to scale. Our work with Reachdesk, for example, focuses on powering global gifting programmes that balance quality, logistics and sustainability across multiple markets.
Our B Corp certification provides reassurance that the systems behind those products have been carefully considered.
The Work Continues
We’re proud to be a B Corp. But more than anything, we’re proud of what it represents.
A commitment to accountability.
A commitment to continuous improvement.
And a belief that merchandise can be made and sourced more responsibly.
There’s still plenty of work to do. But that’s exactly the point.
Because when businesses hold themselves to higher standards, better outcomes tend to follow. And that’s something worth being proud of.
Curious how sustainable merchandise can support your wider impact goals? Let’s explore products and supply chains that align with your standards.
