The Art of Being Beneficial for a Better World

When you consider how the corporate realm has traditionally operated, beholden to the interests of a singular ilk of shareholder, a mere glance at the way the world is going, and in particular the environment, is enough to know that a shake-up of this dynamic would be beneficial to say the least.

This is something the folks at the non-profit network B Lab have taken to heart in a bid to forge a seismic shift that opens the way for companies to legitimately consider the interests of every single one of their stakeholders with a thoroughness that rivals alternative certifications on the purpose-balanced-with-profit block.

B Lab’s B Corp certification system is already coaxing some of the biggest mission-minded companies around the globe to use their business for a higher purpose in accordance with an unapologetically exhaustive list of social, ethical and environmental requirements. The “B” in B Corp , standing for “beneficial”, extends alongside the capital stakeholder, to the customer, employee, entire supply chain, community at large and the environment. And this movement is taking a hold with currently more than 6,000 B Corps spread across 86 countries and 159 industries, according to the B Lab website.

Pioneers in their own right in the realm of Champagne, Piper-Heidsieck and its sister Champagne houses Charles Heidsieck and Rare Champagne, part of the EPI stable, have not surprisingly, become the first producers in Champagne to attain B Corp certification, joining 21 other wineries globally in achieving the certification to strengthen their commitments to both social and environmental issues.

“We are honoured to be the first producers in Champagne to achieve Certified B Corporation status and are fully committed to B Lab’s vision of working towards an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economic system,” says EPI Group’s Wine and Champagne division president Damien Lafaurie. “We hope to inspire others in the wine industry to join the cause.”

To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 points on the B Impact Assessment, focusing on the positive material social and environmental impact of each brand with more than 200 questions covering governance, employees, communities and the environment. Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck, Charles Heidsieck & Rare Champagne attained an overall B Impact score of 91.9 points, an achievement that has not come without some wide-reaching initiatives the Champagne houses have committed to in accordance with B Corp lore including:

• Reducing the carbon footprint by 46 percent in intensity per bottle by 2030 and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. They have also invested in Time For the Planet and have been using the lightest bottle on the market since 2010.
• Initiating a significant energy-saving programme pledging a reduction of 40 percent by 2025, completely eliminating the use of fossil fuels in production activities, and using 100 percent renewable electricity.
• Continuing sustainable environmental practices in their owned vineyards. The Houses preserve and enhance biodiversity and local species by using zero herbicides, zero pesticides, zero chemicals to treat rot, and zero CMR products. They advocate the use of organic amendments, vitiforestry and initiatives that further promote biodiversity in the vineyards.
• Moving 100 percent of suppliers to Europe by 2030 and shifting away from added value packs in non-recyclable materials.
• Supporting the VDC (Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne) conversion of 100 percent of their wine growing partners by 2025.
• Introducing sustainable development objectives for all employees to fasttrack the implementation of best practices in all sectors and levels of the company.
• An ongoing commitment to gender parity at every level of the organisation while encouraging a wide variety of employees by advocating for inclusion and the hiring of young talent from diverse backgrounds, as well as supporting “Nos Quartiers ont des Talents”.

Piper-Heidsieck is clearly making quick work of B Lab’s long and exacting list of social, ethical and environmental requirements, which it views as “a crucial step” in an evolution towards a positive and purpose-driven business model. “Achieving B Corp certification reflects our pioneering ethos and daring initiative to be a driving force of change within the Champagne industry,” says Benoit Collard Piper-Heidsieck CEO. “This certification not only recognises our environmental impact in the vineyards, but extends to our entire winemaking ecosystem, our community and our workplace.”

Find out more about Piper-Heidsieck here.