It’s been an exhilarating week here at RigRun HQ…
We found out that we have officially become B Corp Certified! The certification recognises that people, communities, and the planet are at the heart of our business, and we are passionate about living our values and showing that businesses can and should prioritise this over profit.
To become a Certified B CorporationTM, every aspect of our business was graded against a rigorous testing system, ‘The B Impact Assessment’. We were assessed on how our day-to-day operations positively impact our people, our community, and the environment, as well as what RigRun is doing to make a positive social impact in the wider world.
The certification shows that we’re using our business as a force for good. It took us 18 months to reach this point, and we worked hard to achieve a final high score of 91.1. But even with such a high score, we don’t want to be resting on our laurels, and we have big plans to continue improving and expanding our impact.
The Road to B Corp Certification
Making the legal commitment to become a force for good is not a decision we take lightly. The B Corp certification is not about greenwashing or broadcasting vague beliefs. It requires action and a deep dive into every area of your business so that it’s clear that you are driven to create tangible systemic change rather than just earn a neatly packaged marketing claim.
Our Commitment to the B Corp Community
The ‘B’ in B Corp stands for “benefit for all”. Certified B Corporations believe that earning a profit and being a force for good in the world should not be mutually exclusive and take the necessary action to ensure their businesses are responsible for their impact on people and the planet.
As a corporate wellness provider that focuses on improving remote site workforces’ physical, mental, and social health, we also work hard to protect and enhance the health of the world’s ecosystems and communities. After all, a healthy planet provides a better way of living for us all.
The Five Impact Pillars and RigRun
Each company that applies for B Corp Certification is measured against five impact pillars – workers, environment, governance, customers, and community. And RigRun was able to meet the high standards required for each of these pillars.
Workers
RigRun is powered by an incredible team that keeps the cogs turning during the competition and beyond. Each RigRun employee is paid above the national living wage, and we operate a “high to low” pay ratio of less than 5 to ensure that high-level management is not being paid 20, 50 or 100 times more, as seen in many other companies. We have helped people into employment who are coping with significant mental health issues, adjusting their roles around their needs and capabilities. And, at the heart of our diversity and inclusion practice, we employ people from chronically underemployed sectors of society, including those from neurodiverse, LGBTQIA+, and ageing demographics, ensuring these jobs make up the majority of our workforce.
In addition, our female founder, Louise, is dedicated to employing women and carers who, along with their careers, must meet care demands. Hiring them on term-time only school hours contracts ensures they can maintain the flexibility to balance, and most importantly enjoy, work and home life.
Environment
RigRun is a team sport, but individual competitors can also win individual prizes when they reach exercise milestones. Each of our prizes has been carefully designed and manufactured, not only to minimise the impact on the environment but also to enhance it. For example, each person who achieves the 1,000-minute prize milestone, earning themselves an ‘Ocean Bottle’, prevents 1,000 plastic bottles from reaching the world’s oceans while simultaneously providing employment, healthcare, and education in underprivileged coastal communities.
Governance
To be B Corp certified, we have made a legal commitment within our company’s corporate structure to be a force for good and not be structured for profit alone. To meet the high standards of the B Corp community, we have revised all governing documents and by-laws to ensure that “stakeholders” don’t just mean the people who help us make a profit but also include employees, suppliers, the community, and the environment on equal footing.
Customers
No one who participates in RigRun is just a number or a statistic. They are human beings, and they are treated as such. Therefore, we do not use bots to deal with customer enquiries. Instead, we provide 24/7 assistance from real people throughout each competition. Though efficiency is essential, we also take the time to prioritise and personalise our connections with competitors, treating everyone with kindness and compassion.
Community
From raising funds for charity to supplier selection, we want to have a positive impact on the community we work in. For example, when we require contractors, we strive to employ local people who have set up their own businesses wherever possible, as well as utilising companies that help to create job opportunities in chronically underemployed sectors of the community.
We must be the change we want to see in the world. We cannot promote that physical activity improves wellbeing while simultaneously causing direct or indirect harm through irresponsible or non-existent environmental and social practices. By ensuring meticulous attention to the impact of our entire supply chain and how our actions affect people and the environment, we will continue to improve and strive for a better world alongside our B Corp Community.
