B Corp has become one of the most recognisable certifications for businesses wanting to demonstrate that they take their social and environmental responsibilities seriously. We understand why companies pursue it, and many of the principles behind B Corp are principles we share. Businesses should consider their environmental impact, treat people properly, make responsible decisions and recognise that their responsibilities extend beyond simply generating profit.
Despite that, Ostratto isn't a B Corp, and becoming one isn't something we're currently pursuing.
That isn't because we're against B Corp or because we think businesses that have achieved certification are wasting their time. For many organisations, going through a formal certification process can provide useful structure and accountability, while encouraging them to examine areas of their business they might otherwise overlook.
Our view is simply that certification isn't the right priority for Ostratto. We'd rather put the time, money and effort involved into making tangible improvements to the way we operate, while taking useful ideas from frameworks such as B Corp without necessarily needing the badge that comes with them.
What does the badge actually tell us?
What does the badge actually tell us?
Part of our hesitation comes from a broader question about what certification actually communicates.
Certifications can be extremely valuable. In areas such as information security, quality management or technical competence, independently demonstrating that you comply with a recognised standard can provide customers with important assurances.
Responsible business is more difficult to reduce to a certification.
One of the most prominent examples of this debate came when Nespresso achieved B Corp certification in 2022. Its admission attracted criticism from within the B Corp community itself, with more than 30 B Corps and other organisations signing an open letter objecting to the decision. Critics raised concerns about Nespresso's supply chain and questioned whether the certification process was sufficiently demanding of large multinational businesses.
Nespresso, for its part, has invested substantially in areas such as recycling, sustainable coffee sourcing and environmental initiatives, and B Lab stood behind its decision to certify the company. We're not suggesting that Ostratto is in a position to decide whether Nespresso should or shouldn't qualify.
The controversy does, however, demonstrate the limitations of reducing something as complicated as responsible business to a single badge.
Under the B Corp framework used at the time, companies could achieve the required overall score while performing more strongly in some areas than others. That meant two businesses with very different operations, impacts and individual category scores could ultimately display the same B Corp certification.
Importantly, B Lab has recognised some of these concerns and has since overhauled its standards. Its newer framework requires businesses to meet requirements across seven impact areas rather than relying on an aggregate score where stronger performance in one area could compensate for weaker performance elsewhere.
We think that's a positive development, and it's important to acknowledge it.
There have also been examples showing that B Corp isn't simply a badge awarded indefinitely. BrewDog, for example, lost its B Corp certification in 2022 after B Lab investigated concerns surrounding the company and requested additional measures that BrewDog ultimately did not complete.
So our position isn't that B Corp has no standards or accountability. Clearly it does, and those standards continue to evolve.
Our point is that no certification can give customers the complete picture of a business.
Responsibility happens between assessments
Responsibility happens between assessments
A certification can independently demonstrate that a company has met a particular framework. What it can't do is make the thousands of decisions that determine how that company behaves after the assessment is finished.
For a business like ours, those decisions happen constantly. Do we recommend the product that genuinely suits a customer, or the one that generates the best margin for us? Do we replace equipment because something newer is available, or help a customer extend the life of what they already have? Do we add another piece of software to solve a problem, or look at whether the technology they already pay for can do the job?
The same applies internally. Which suppliers do we choose? How much unnecessary travel do we create? What happens to equipment at the end of its life? How efficiently do we use computing resources? How do we treat our team, customers and partners when nobody is assessing us?
We think the answers to those questions tell you considerably more about a business than the presence or absence of a logo on its website.
Our Promise
Every solution we implement, every partner we choose, and every recommendation we make is evaluated through the lens of sustainability. This commitment extends beyond environmental impact to ensure long-term viability and efficiency for our clients.
What this looks like at Ostratto
What this looks like at Ostratto
Technology has an environmental footprint, but as a technology consultancy we also have an opportunity to influence the footprint of the organisations we work with. The systems we recommend, the hardware we supply and the way we deliver projects all have consequences, so sustainability forms part of how we evaluate technology.
Around 90% of our implementation work is conducted virtually. We operate as a remote-first organisation ourselves, champion hybrid working and maintain zero on-premise servers or infrastructure, relying instead on cloud services. Our training and documentation are predominantly digital, and our implementation methodology makes extensive use of cloud environments, remote collaboration and automated processes.
We also try not to treat technology as disposable. Our procurement approach prioritises energy-efficient equipment, and we aim to extend the useful life of devices through maintenance rather than replacing them prematurely. When equipment reaches the end of its useful life, we use certified electronic waste recyclers.
The same thinking extends to the technology we recommend. We favour cloud-first solutions where they're appropriate, look for opportunities to consolidate overlapping platforms and consider the computational overhead of the software we select. Digital transformation can also replace paper-heavy processes and unnecessary physical workflows while simultaneously making a business more efficient.
We're also vendor agnostic. We design solutions around what an organisation actually needs rather than forcing every customer into a predetermined technology stack. For us, being a responsible technology partner includes being prepared to recommend the appropriate solution rather than simply the product that is most commercially convenient for us.
Alongside reducing our own impact, we're part of Stripe Climate, with a fraction of purchases made through Ostratto helping to fund next-generation carbon removal technologies.
None of those things makes us a perfectly sustainable business, and we're not presenting them as equivalent to independent certification. They're simply examples of decisions we've already made about how we want Ostratto to operate.
You can read more about what we're doing and the thinking behind it on our Sustainability page as well as in our Sustainability Policy.
Cloud-first
Our cloud-first approach leverages shared computing resources and modern data centres operating at peak efficiency. By moving to the cloud, businesses dramatically reduce their hardware footprint while benefiting from providers committed to renewable energy and sustainable operations.
Digital Transformation
Paper-based processes create hidden environmental costs through manufacturing, transportation, storage, and disposal. Our digital solutions, powered by intelligent integrated suites, eliminate these impacts while streamlining operations. From paperless workflows to digital approvals, we help businesses reduce their physical footprint while improving efficiency.
Remote Work Enablement
The daily commute significantly impacts an organisation's carbon footprint. Our remote work solutions create effective digital workspaces that eliminate unnecessary travel while maintaining productivity. This approach reduces both environmental impact and operational costs, creating a win-win for businesses and the planet.
Energy-Efficient Software
We select solutions that minimise computational overhead while maximising functionality. Through careful vendor selection and strategic platform consolidation, we help businesses reduce their digital energy footprint. Our integrated approach eliminates redundant systems and optimises resource usage across your technology stack.
Why not get certified as well?
Why not get certified as well?
The obvious question is that if we already agree with many of the principles, why not go through the process and become certified anyway?
For a business of our size, any certification requires resources. There's the direct financial cost, but there's also the time required to assess, document, evidence and maintain compliance. That investment can absolutely be worthwhile when the certification itself creates sufficient value.
At the moment, we don't believe B Corp certification would create enough additional value for our customers, our team or our business to justify making it a priority.
We'd rather invest those resources directly into improving the business and continue holding ourselves accountable for the decisions we make.
That doesn't mean we can't learn from B Corp. Quite the opposite. If a framework highlights something we could be doing better, there's no reason we need to wait until we're pursuing certification before doing something about it.
We're not claiming to have it all figured out
We're not claiming to have it all figured out
Perhaps the most important part of this is acknowledging that Ostratto isn't a perfectly sustainable or responsible business. We aren't, and we'd be sceptical of any organisation that claimed it had reached that point.
There will always be areas where we can improve. As Ostratto grows, decisions that work for a small organisation will need to be reconsidered. Our environmental footprint will change, our influence over suppliers and customers may increase, and our responsibilities as an employer will evolve.
That's why we'd rather think about responsible business as an ongoing process than a destination.
B Corp itself appears to recognise this. Its standards have evolved significantly, including the recent move towards mandatory requirements across multiple impact areas. Standards have to change because our understanding of responsible business changes too.
Our own approach should be no different.
Principles before badges
Principles before badges
We're not ruling out B Corp forever. If certification becomes genuinely valuable to Ostratto, our customers or our team in the future, we'll look at it again.
For now, though, we'd rather concentrate on the underlying principles.
That means making sensible technology recommendations, reducing unnecessary waste, extending the useful life of equipment, choosing responsible partners, operating efficiently and building long-term relationships where our success depends on creating good outcomes for our customers.
We'll continue looking at frameworks such as B Corp for ideas, challenging the way we operate and being transparent about the things we're doing as well as the areas where we could improve.
A certification can provide useful evidence that a business has met a standard. It shouldn't be the reason a business behaves responsibly in the first place.
For us, the more meaningful test is whether we can demonstrate those principles through the decisions we make every day.
Contact
Get in touch with the team to discuss how we support your business with practical, people-first technology and long-term solutions.
About
Learn who we are, what we stand for, and how Ostratto helps businesses make their work, less work through practical technology solutions.
Our Approach
Discover how we partner with you - focusing on strategy, simplicity and long-term value to deliver technology that truly supports your business.
