Vagabond Small-Group Tours of Ireland learned recently that it has achieved certification as a registered B Corporation, making it the only travel company in Ireland and only the fourth Irish company ever to achieve this recognition.
B Corporations (or B Corps) are a growing group of companies who are reinventing business, by pursuing purpose as well as profit.
Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland has been certified by B Lab Europe as having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.
“Achieving B Corp certification couldn’t have come at a better time. It was a huge achievement for all of the team,” said Rob Rankin, Vagabond Tours founder.
Rankin explains that, despite the business being badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, “We felt it was vital to look to the future and commit to achieving B-Corp certification. Hearing this news in the middle of winter has been a massive boost to our team. This positive news will help us convey the message to our customers, past and future, that we are a good business to work with.”
He called applying for certification “a thorough, exacting and thought-provoking process. While we entered the process already on the right track, B Corp has inspired us to think hard about how we run all aspects of the business.”
“We have made changes for the better, implemented new policies and procedures and changed our company constitution to ‘lock in’ these positive measures for the future. It’s a great honour to join so many illustrious names in this dynamic community, which committed to driving forward a more ethical and sustainable business model for the future. We look forward to spreading the word and encouraging others to follow suit.”
The process of achieving B Corp Certification recognizes the whole of a business and covers five key impact areas:
Governance
Workers
Community
Environment
Customers
The certification process is rigorous, requiring an over-80 score and evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices, including energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. To complete the certification, the company will legally embed their commitment to purpose beyond profit in their company articles.
Vagabond Small-Group Tours of Ireland is now part of a community of over 2600+ businesses globally who have certified as B Corps. These include well-known brands like,
Cully & Sully
Patagonia
Alpro
Innocent Drinks
Danone
UrbanVolt
Recent attention on the travel industry marks Vagabond Small-Group Tours of Ireland’s B Corp certification as a notable step. There is a shift towards greater accountability and transparency occurring in the travel sector.