Kilmarnock Enterprises Becomes World’s First Charity B Corp

TUESDAY JUNE 18, 2019 – Kilmarnock Enterprises has become the world's first charity to certify as a B Corporation.

The ‘Impact Enterprise’ has been in the business of changing attitudes for over sixty years, and now they are changing global regulations.

B Lab’s recognition is a huge deal, not just for the Christchurch based organisation, but for all charities. Until now, non-profits were unable to register for certification.

“It is incredibly humbling to be the first charity in the world to certify,” says Michelle Sharp, CEO of Kilmarnock Enterprises.
“Not only is it a great outcome for us, but we are also paving the way for other impact enterprises to become part of the B Corp family. It separates the ‘them and us’ culture of not-for-profits and businesses. Ultimately, it shouldn’t matter if you are a ‘for profit’ or ‘not-for-profit’; it’s doing good that matters.”

Certified B Corps are a new form of business that seeks to balance purpose and profit. Rather than solely focusing on profit maximisation, they consider the impact of their operations on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.

B Corp certification is issued via B Lab, a non-profit organisation with regional hubs based across the globe.
This third party standard requires companies to meet higher verified levels of social and environmental performance standards, as well as higher levels of transparency and accountability to all stakeholders.

“Kilmarnock and Michelle have created this hybrid-type organisation, that thinks and feels like a charity but behaves likes a business,” says Tim Jones, B Corp Ambassador and Founder of Grow Good.
“They are proof that making money does not have to negatively impact your ability to do good.”

As well as empowering adults with a range of abilities to unlock their full potential, Kilmarnock now offers a range of services including refurbishing, processing, electronic waste recycling, and much more.
They are passionate about making a positive impact, and use enterprise as a tool to balance their mission, whilst achieving incredible results in a highly competitive commercial market.

Beyond their social impact, sustainability is integrated across the whole organisation, as they align their long term strategic goals against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Kilmarnock undertakes numerous work projects in the waste management sector, including an award winning project with the Gough Group that diverts more than one million containers every year from landfill.

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