Revolutionising Sustainability: How Secret Linen Store's B Corp Journey is Shaping the Future of Business Discover how becoming a B Corp helped Secret Linen Store boost growth and attract socially conscious customers.

Entrepreneur UK talks to Alice Dee, Sustainability Manager at the Secret Linen Store, the British brand known for its high-quality bedding and home textiles, about how the company's new tool called Sustainability Product Passports is revolutionising transparency in product sourcing and why continuous improvement is key to building a sustainable business.

- What innovative sustainability trends should entrepreneurs watch for?

Sustainability Product Passports are the new tool to help stakeholders assess and understand detailed information about the environmental and social impact of a product.

This will be an exciting advancement in the effort to enhance transparency and accountability across supply chains and production processes. By providing a quick scan of a code, these passports will allow customers to easily trace a product's journey, encouraging more sustainable practices by businesses.

Related: How ZYOD is Using AI to Make Fast Fashion Sustainable

- What's a common mistake startups make in sustainability, and how can it be avoided?

The word sustainability is used very freely, with companies pledging strategies for change, this is all well and good but what we need is progress against these targets and transparency.

There was a flurry in 2018 with ambitious promises of carbon neutrality and becoming 'sustainable' businesses. However, something that was consistently missed were road maps and what sustainability meant to these businesses.

Without tangible targets and time scales it removed the accountability to improve.

Sustainability to me is the goal for continuous improvement against the impacts we make. Not just focusing on reducing our environmental impact but also our social and governance.

Knowing your responsibility as a business, embedding impact reporting into the DNA. Sustainability won't just be a pledge it will be a continuous practice in the business model.

- Can you share a success story where sustainability boosted a company's growth?

In 2023 Secret Linen Store became a B Corp, the decision to become part of the movement was more than just earning a certification, it's a commitment to social and environmental responsibilities. That business can be a force for change.

The company is growing rapidly by following the right practices. Our B Corp certification assures consumers that Secret Linen Store upholds high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. This attracts socially conscious customers, enhancing loyalty and expanding our customer base. It also helps justify our higher price points, as consumers can trust that our products are responsibly sourced.

Becoming a Certified B Corporation can lead to attracting a larger pool of employees, enhancing their company, and finding power as a community.

It shows that the business is focused on everything the B Corp movement stands for, that business could be a force for good aligning business practices with the growing demand for social and environmental responsibility.

- How can entrepreneurs effectively measure the impact of their sustainability efforts?

I would suggest reviewing The B Impact Assessment. It is a free online tool that companies can use to kick off the assessment of their social and environmental impacts, allowing them an insight to understand their current strengths and weaknesses. It provides a roadmap and structure for improvement.

The comprehensive measuring tool (BIA) provides a structured framework to improve reporting across different areas of the business, including governance, workers, community, and environment.

- What role do partnerships play in advancing sustainability, and how can startups leverage them?

Partnerships in advancing sustainability can be viewed in two ways: collaborating with standards organisations to validate and certify business practices and forming alliances with industry peers to learn from each other and promote shared initiatives.

Greenwashing has become a significant concern for consumers. Providing verified claims through third-party standards that audit business practices and supply chains is a crucial step towards gradually eliminating false claims. Personally, I have found third-party audits to be incredibly valuable. They offer an opportunity to evaluate the business, from our supply chain practices to employee benefits, through the lens of social and environmental impact.

Responsible Sourcing should be seen as a non-competitive side to business, it should be a shared goal where we can learn from each other. We joined the global community of Certified B Corporations, united in our mission to use business as a force for good. We are excited to watch the community grow. Why not reach out to the B Corp community? Have a chat over a cup of tea and learn from other certified B Corps and share best practices. The B Corp movement is a shared one, a collective action to address society's most critical challenges.