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https://www.positive.news/economics/good-business/painting-a-greener-future-how-an-art-brand-became-a-b-corp/>
"Awareness around the impact of the climate crisis – and the actions urgently
needed to reduce emissions – is growing by the day. Brands and companies are
getting serious about sustainability, and a surefire way of demonstrating a
real commitment to ethical practices is to pursue a B Corp certification. In
April, it was announced that there are now 2,000 certified B Corporations in
the UK, with the purposeful business movement doubling in size here in just 18
months. Across 95 countries, more than 8,000 have made the B Corp grade to
date.
Climate action, circular practices, diversity and fair wages are all key
elements of achieving the certification. When your company makes art supplies
and paint, which typically contains potentially harmful chemicals, making
manufacturing processes sustainable to meet B Corp requirements is particularly
challenging. Despite this, Colart, the parent company of heritage paint
purveyor Winsor & Newton as well as art supply brands Lefranc Bourgeois,
Liquitex, Conté à Paris and Charbonnel, has become the first art company to
achieve the certification, thanks to effective changes to their practices that
reduce environmental impact.
Being a B Corp fits perfectly with Winsor & Newton and Colart’s wider values,
says global brand director Helly Summerly. “Winsor & Newton was founded by an
artist and a scientist,” she explains. In 1832, the pair – whose surnames form
the brand name – devised brushes, paints and accessories that were
revolutionary at the time for being easily portable.
This ethos of innovation underpinned the B Corp certification process, but now,
rather than improving artistic practice and the wider industry with compact and
versatile products, the priority is reducing the ways art supplies impact the
environment. “Colart’s owner has a real mission to leave the industry in a
better place,” Summerly says."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
