Since the first seeds of Kotn were planted, we’ve worked to create a brand that honours people and the planet, encouraging those who share our values to live them out. As a certified B Corporation voted Best for the World™ in the community category, we use our certification to hold ourselves accountable to these values.
Raising the Bar with B Corp
What is a B Corp?
A B Corporation certificate is earned by for-profit companies that use their power to drive change, creating a positive impact on people, communities, and the environment. Like Fair Trade certifications are to coffee, B Corp is to business. Companies that hold a certified B Corp status have met the highest standards of social and environmental performance, legal accountability, and public transparency.
What Does it Take to Become a Certified B Corp?
A company becomes a B Corp by undergoing a verification process that requires documentation on their business model, operations, structure, and various work processes, as well as site visits.
The B Lab collects this information, giving each company a score based on the B Impact Assessment scale: the most credible tool for companies to measure their impact on their workers, community, environment, and customers. Businesses that achieve a score of 80 or higher out of 200 are granted a B Corporation certification. The median score for ordinary businesses is currently 50.9.
Once certified, B Corps must re-apply and undergo the verification process again every three years to maintain their B Corporation certification.
Why We Joined
Since day one, we’ve committed to driving social change. We’ve worked hand in hand with the communities throughout our supply chain to ensure their needs and wants are met. By reinvesting a portion of proceeds from every Kotn order, we've created jobs, infrastructure, systems, and education, helping to alleviate poverty and create sustainable development.
For us, applying for B Corp status was our way to be held accountable for our commitment to our communities and our environment—a code of conduct to abide by at the bare minimum.
“In our industry, where fast fashion is a huge environmental concern,” notes Ben Sehl, Kotn’s Co-Founder, “B Corp [status] was a great way for us to say, ‘This is a line in the sand.’” The certification acts as “a promise to our employees, shareholders, customers and community that we won’t just say we’re going to give back—we’ll actually do it.”
Ranked 4th in North America
Focusing on centuries and not seasons to create lasting change, we raised our B Impact Assessment score 25.8 points since we were first evaluated in 2017. Our score now sits at 121.3 out of 200, ranking us as the 4th highest apparel B Corporation in North America, next to inspiring brands like Patagonia, Eileen Fisher and Tentree, who demand more for themselves and their industry.
Due to our commitment to creating sustainable growth in our supply chain, we’ve also been voted B Corp’s Best for the World™. It’s an honour given to certified B Corporations with B Impact Assessment scores in the top 10% of our global community, and top 5% of B Corps worldwide.
What’s Next?
With your help, we’re only moving forward. By investing in the people who create our products, and the environment around them, we’re striving every day to build shared, sustainable growth—from our farming communities to the communities who enjoy our pieces every day.
