B Corp: Backstage Pass

When we became a B Corp, we didn’t think we were doing everything perfect. We knew we weren’t. We chose to hold ourselves accountable and to keep improving…publicly. And honestly, there are days when it would be easier not to carry that commitment. It would be simpler to make decisions based purely on growth or margin.

But the B Corp framework touches everything: how we lead, how we care for our team, how we show up for our community, and the footprint we leave behind. It keeps asking us one simple question: how can we grow better?

You see, growth doesn’t have to be loud to be meaningful. At Doing Goods, growth also looks like this:

• Separating everyday waste (even tearing the tag off your teabag before recycling it..yes, it can be annoying);
• Creating a Happiness Team that organises small, meaningful moments and makes sure colleagues receive flowers or chocolates when they need them most;
• Including ESG goals in personal development plans: from cleaning up digital drives to save energy, to printing less (everyone knows, but we all need reminding);
• Reusing inbound stock cartons from India for our own shipments;
• Offering bike lease options, preparing healthy lunches together, and installing a sparkling water tap instead of using bottled mineral

Simple, practical steps. But they count.

Being a B Corp also means facing bigger dilemmas and this is where it gets uncomfortable. It’s where impact sits right next to profit.

How do we balance margins and meaning?
How do we scale without losing our soul?
How do we make decisions our future selves will be proud of?

Material choices are a good example. A cheaper material would significantly improve our margins.

• Switching to New Zealand wool for our Tapis Amis rugs did the opposite. But we believed it was the right thing to do.
• We switched all gift packaging to FSC-certified materials, even though it increased costs.
• We also chose to reduce plastic packaging, knowing it might increase the risk of damage during shipping.

We learnt that sustainability is also cultural: while we prioritise reducing single-use plastic, some of our partners in India see plastic as valuable protection. Bridging those perspectives requires patience, dialogue and ongoing learning.

Not every decision is easy. Not every discussion is simple. Not without debate. And sometimes we do say no because, as a business, we must remain financially healthy.

But we don’t optimise for profit alone.

The B Corp structure challenges us to look inward. Look with heart to all we do. It brings more intention to our choices, more appreciation for craftsmanship and tradition, and more focus on creating products that truly last.

With a score of 86.5, we passed the threshold, but we also saw clearly where we can improve. That clarity shapes our roadmap for the years ahead.

This journey has taught us that good intentions need structure.

To everyone walking this path with us: thank you. Your support allows us to keep building, creating and improving — with heart.

Aanyoung & Jolieke