Why does being a B corp set us apart?

March is B Corp Month: it is the celebration of all companies that have been certified because they meet the highest environmental and social sustainability standards. As a B Corp, we would like to explain why this makes us proud!

Nowadays, sustainability is one of the main topics of public discourse. And that is a good thing: it means that an increasing number of people — both in the business world, as well as among consumers — are aware of the urgent need to change our way of life, so that the planet and communities may survive.

The fact that sustainability is at the center of the debate is indeed important; what is more important, however, is that the discussion is followed by action. This is what the companies that belong to the B Corp movement — like Davines— are fighting for. Here are some of the positive actions that Davines is engaged in to emphasize its commitment to people and the planet.

Plastic Neutral Products

Davines is a proud partner of Plastic Bank. Thanks to this partnership, in 2021 we prevented 100 tons of plastic from being dispersed in the sea, contributing to recovery actions in the coastal communities of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil.

We have now decided to further expand our commitment: in 2022, all Davines Group products will be certified Plastic Neutral, in collaboration with Plastic Bank. What does that mean? It means that, for every product we sell in 2022, we will collect and remove the same amount of plastic dispersed in the environment.

“ In 2022, all Davines Group products will be Certified Plastic Neutral by Plastic Bank.

We are stronger together!

Making the world a better place is a common concern for all; we are all connected and responsible for each other. That is why we joined forces with another B Corp: 24Bottles, which produces reusable thermos bottles and tumblers.

In March 2022, participating Davines salons will feature a deal: buy your favorite haircare products and receive the new 24Bottles tumbler, customized for Davines, as a free gift.

“ The new 24 Bottles thermos tumbler for Davines is exclusively available at participating Davines salons and only during March 2022. A gift with the purchase of your favorite products!

Regenerative Agriculture: Davines with Rodale Institute

In 2021, we announced our new partnership with Rodale Institute, a pioneer of the regenerative organic movement since 1947. The new Davines Group - Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Centre will open in Parma, near the Davines Village, expanding the range of regenerative organic ingredients and acting as a hub for research on sustainability and farmer training.

This new center will encompass an almost 25 acre site on the Davines Village campus and focus on the management of organic agriculture in a Mediterranean climate, as well as on the close relationship between personal care ingredients and agriculture.

“ Regenerative organic agriculture has all the potential to ban carbon, mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity, and protect our soil, air, and water.

Decarbonisation: the most urgent goal to save the planet

The environment is the first area on which we would like to have a positive impact, starting with countering climate change. Davines has been a Carbon Neutral company since 2018 and, in 2019, we committed to becoming Net Zero by 2030, in a joint effort made by many B Corps around the world.

In 2021, we also ran our climate action campaign “Still, we are not there yet”, with a view to involving collaborators, professional clients, and consumers in over 90 countries. We challenged our community to help us save 80 tons of CO2. How? By tracking your actions with A World, an app chosen by the UN to promote sustainable lifestyles. We are talking about simple, everyday actions — such as turning the water off while you brush your teeth or taking a shorter shower. Each action corresponds to a value of CO2 saved or another positive index. The challenge ended with results that exceeded expectations: 119 tonnes of CO2 saved!

“ Davines has been a Carbon Neutral company since 2018 and, in 2019, we committed to becoming Net Zero by 2030.

B Corp Beauty Coalition

As a Certified B Corporation, Davines believes that all companies — through their products, services, and profits — must strive not to harm the planet and, what is more, create value for all. Another important step in that direction was the establishment of the BCorp Beauty Coalition in January 2022: a group of 36 B Corp companies that wish to turn the beauty world standards upside down, challenging themselves to go one step further on sustainable ingredients, innovative packaging with a lower impact, green logistics, as well as transparent communication towards consumers.

“ We dream of a new approach to beauty that prioritizes the soil as much as the skin, nature as much as natural formulas, the impact on the planet as much as effective results.

What is a B Corp?

The B Corp movement was born in the United States in 2006 — before the green wave — with an ambitious goal: help companies to find a balance between “profit” and “purpose”, i.e. between “finance” and “ethics”. B Corps are, however, for-profit companies; that is to say, they have financial as well as ethical goals.

The certification is an attestation that they comply with the highest environmental and social sustainability standards. Their uniqueness lies precisely in this search for balance between doing business and doing good: the one must not be seen as the opposite of the other; rather, they both contribute and are mutually beneficial to the search for sustainable growth.

How the B Corp Certification is obtained

To become a Certified B Corporation, companies must pass a true admission test, in which they quantify their impact on the planet and its people. Another pivotal fact: the certification does not provide a permanent status. Every B Corp company must re-certify every three years, so as to always guarantee that its impact is the same or has even improved.

“ Davines first obtained the B Corp certification in 2016, with a score of 99. Three years later, it was re-certified, having managed to improve its score to 117.5. We are honored to have been the chosen recipient of the 2018, 2019 and 2021 B Corp Best for the Environment award.