This month is B-Corp month, the month where we celebrate businesses all over the world that choose to put people over profit
I’ve had extraordinary opportunities in my career, from being spotted while working as a dance teacher in my native Malaysia to modelling all over the world, and being able to branch out in new directions, into new roles so many times. I’ve said before that the greatest of all my opportunities, all of my reinventions, was starting a family.
What role could be more full of potential, full of meaning, than motherhood?
Since becoming a mother, my journey in business has been a very personal one, motivated by making a difference. I want to create a better world for my children, using my skills as a businesswoman and the opportunities that my career has given me. That was the seed of the idea that led to The Good Plot and Ewhurst Park – a vision of sustainable, healthy farm-to-table living.
We’ve come a long way since that original seed. I’ve learned about rewilding and regenerative farming and we’re planting a market garden at Ewhurst. The Good Plot is open and supporting our Notting Hill community through lockdown with tasty treats, cook at home meals and comforting drinks. But I wanted to make sure we stay close to the original vision.
From the very beginning, I knew that The Good Plot should be part of B-Corp, and we currently have B-Corp pending status.
B-Corp is an initiative that was started by three friends in 2006, who left their careers in business and private equity to help build companies with purpose. Today, there are nearly 4000 businesses world-wide which have achieved B Corp status, with around 400 of them coming from the United Kingdom. These companies operate a triple bottom-line, with people, planet and profit having equal weighting in business decision-making.
For The Good Plot to be included alongside them, as we hope to be once we have been running for 12 months (and what a 12 months to prove ourselves in!) would be a great honour, as there are so many I look up to. One of these is Riverford Organic Farmers, an organic farm and vegetable box delivery company delivering fresh food to thousands of customers all over the UK.
Given the unprecedented demand for responsibly sourced, good quality ingredients delivered directly to homes, Riverford has been fulfilling an important community role in helping people to eat healthily, and last September became the second-highest ranked UK food & drink company on the B-Corp list.
Other well-known companies like Rubies in the Ruble have also gained B-Corp status. Aligning our names with companies like these shows that we are more than just a business – we are a business with a purpose. As the B-Corp official website states, in these challenging times, we need communities to come together.
We are proud to be working towards B-Corp recognition, and I recommend the process to any business owners thinking about their social purpose. The process has helped me by clarifying my vision for The Good Plot, what I want it to achieve and how it can live up to its name. Next B-Corp week, I hope to write again, to celebrate our certification!
Read more of Mandy’s articles in Sublime Magazine
