SYDNEY, N.S. — The Cape Breton company Ethical Swag is now accredited as a certified B Corporation entity, an honour that’s been compared to ISO certification for ethical business operators.
Like the seal of approval from a third party body that a company runs on international standards, this accreditation means Ethical Swag has been audited to a global standard for social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
“We are now in very good company. Patagonia is a B Corp, Ben & Jerry’s is a B Corp,” said Ethical Swag founder and CEO Tara Milburn, in reference to the clothing company and the ice cream maker.
“Anybody can make ice cream, but Ben & Jerry’s really stand out from the rest because of the things they do outside of just making ice cream. That’s really what we stand for as well and we wanted to make sure we were able to communicate that in a succinct way and felt this was a good way to do that.”
Ethical Swag launched its full e-commerce website in 2018 to provide alternatives to the promotional products already being purchased in North America. They carry products from suppliers who have passed third-party audits for supply chain security, social compliance and environmental stewardship, allowing customers to source ethical products.
The Cape Breton company achieved B Corp certification on its first try, a rarity according to Milburn, but said it was an "onerous process" that began in the fall of 2019 after reviewing a related assessment for more than a year.
Essentially, it means a level of trust visitors can obtain regarding Ethical Swag’s business practices as soon as they visit the company website, which, she said, is what the company has always strived to achieve. It has already meant a business boost from other certified B Corp, too.
“Certainly, it is something within the (B Corp) community,” Milburn said. “We all try to support each other quite frankly because we all recognize we are all interested in community and people and the environment and as we support each other, we also then amplify the impact.”
In a news release, Kasha Huk, country manager, Canada for B Lab, the non-profit that certifies B Corps, said they are delighted to welcome Ethical Swag to their community.
“The promotional products industry will benefit by Ethical Swag’s diligence in vetting products and suppliers, which can be a difficult area to navigate for businesses on their own.”
