My business is eighteen.  I'm am completely grateful - it feels a big achievement for a small business and I'm very thankful to the very many people who have supported what I'm doing over the years.

Here's my half yearly check in on progress usings some of my GIVING BACK (handprint) indicators.  I'm very grateful to my much loved clients who enable me to do this Giving Back, which includes:

• donations of 5% gross sales (turnover) - on track (exceeded ) 
• nature restoration + reforesting: 3,732 tress and mangroves planted
• microfinance loans: 57
• volunteering time: 1,014 hours donated

These figures are running totals shown, from 2005 to date.

You can read more in the Ethics Statement 

It's been an exciting year, in April the company was B Corporation Certified.  I've been doing this half yearly 'check in' for years, using my posts to publically show my progress as it makes it feel more accountable.  I'm now inside the B Corp mechanism and it's a good thing to improve how I set goals and measure the positive and negative impacts of my business.  In two and a half years time, I will be recertifying for the B Corp status and I need to show improvement on my actions and the all important score.  This feels very positive as a business to be working towards even now.  There is no  resting on my laurels.  Constant improvement is the driver to 'consider community and the environment in everything we do'.

I went for the certification partly because I am passionate about ethical business following working in one for ten years.  But I also wanted to show it was possible to do as a micro business (we still have a significant impact!) and I wanted to encourage others, particuarly in my industry.  It's been great watching other interior design companies and suppliers attain the status. 

For those reading who are interested in pursuing the certification, I would advise to just start the B Corp process on where you are today using the B Lab Impact Assessment tool (free!) to identify where any gaps might be where you can work on.

1. At least back the Better Business Act and push for the Companies Act to include people, planet as well as profit (free!)

2. Set UN Sustainable Development goals for your business using the SDG tool (free!) 

If you are in my industry, I offer support for improving our processes.  We don't HAVE to be certified to be ethical in business!  I can also help you to prepare you for certitification should you want to do it.