To certify as a B Corp, businesses must meet comprehensive standards across the five areas of: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers.
Certified B Corps are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders across these areas, not just shareholders, ultimately balancing profit with purpose.
Foilco said its mission was to create and develop a sustainable and quality service for its customers.
Managing director Paul Hornby commented: “We are on a mission to establish the end-to-end environmental credentials of foil as a decorative finish.
“That doesn’t stop at simply proving the product’s sustainability. It’s about the way we do business and runs through the entire fabric of our organisation from research and development right through to manufacture, delivery and the collection and reuse of the used material.”
He added: “There is far too much greenwashing by companies at present and so we wanted to validate our environmental claims through this B Corp certification.
“It’s a badge of honour for both Foilco and the foil stamping industry, demonstrating that foil has a bright future in helping make the packaging industry a leader in sustainable innovation and design.”
The Foilco team underwent an intense certification process, led by the certifying organisation B Lab, to demonstrate that the company meets the highest social and environmental performance standards.
Foilco environmental and sustainability officer Rose Happer said: “Our ISO 14001 certification, alongside being the first foil company in the world to join the Zero Foil 2 Landfill Scheme, stood us in good stead during the evaluation process.
“But it’s as much about people as it is about the planet and so, we also needed to demonstrate our social credentials and the ways in which we look after and value our people.”
Foilco’s staff wellbeing committee organises employee wellbeing events, training, and charitable activities to help ensure that all of its employees have a voice and can prioritise wellbeing. The business is also a Living Wage accredited employer.
“It is within our interests to do what is right for the print and packaging industry, but it is our mission to do what is best for our people and the planet,” said Hornby.
Fero has also just become a certified B Corporation while others in the UK print sector include Webmart, Seacourt, Anglia Print, Generation Press, Jump Design & Print, and Commercial Foundation, among others.
