B Corps are, according to their own definition (find out more here!), businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. Armadillo has been certified B Corp for over three years and was notably the first rug company in both Australia and the US to achieve this status.
Why was it important to Armadillo to pursue B Corp certification in the first place?
Alarna Rose: For us, it was about giving proof to all the good that Armadillo does – and had already been doing since Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst first founded the brand in 2009.
The B Corp certification resonated with us as it is the only one that looks holistically at all areas of a business – namely governance, workers, community, the environment, and customers. In contrast, other standards only verify a particular aspect, like how a product is manufactured or its sustainability credentials.
We also felt it was a powerful statement to join the ranks of other businesses around the world using their platform as a force for good. Individually, we can make an impact but together as a movement, we’re able to ignite thoughtful discussion and implement substantive change beyond our industry or locale.
And what does achieving B Corp certification mean to you/Armadillo?
We are proud to mark three years being a certified B Corp as it is an incredibly hard designation to achieve and maintain. It really substantiates and ties together our commitments across people and planet. It is also a great tool to educate our team and connect our wider community with our purpose and values.
We believe it is a privilege to have a presence in our customers’ home, and B Corp is a way of holding ourselves accountable and giving customers the confidence to know they are investing in a truly ethical product.
In a nutshell, what evidence did you have to provide to achieve B Corp status?
To achieve certification, a business is required to achieve a minimum of 80 points across the five impact areas. Our journey into recertification this year has been about strengthening even further our commitments across all of them, which has required collation of a great deal of evidence – from our carbon neutral claim, which is based on organisational emissions across our six showrooms, to the programs in place to ensure the professional development and wellbeing of our people, to the continual expansion of our philanthropic initiatives in India, Nepal, Australia and the USA.
Why do you think Armadillo was the first rug company to become a B Corp in Australia and the US?
I think the reason we were able to break ground in 2021 as the first Australian and American rug brand to become a B Corp is that there is a high level of commitment to our values across the whole company – not just through the leadership of our founders but within every department and by every person globally. It really takes everyone’s effort to live, breathe and understand what it takes to be a B Corp brand.
We are also unique in that our pieces are completely handwoven, and crafted from natural fibres that are tested to be Red List free, ensuring they pose no harm to human health or the environment. This alone sets us apart from other rug brands.
Given Armadillo’s global scale and overseas production, how do you maintain B Corp standards? What logistics and challenges involved?
The greatest challenge for us now and into the future is our supply chain, as the B Impact Assessment imposes another layer of requirements for any business that manufactures and sells a product.
While there are always challenges when working with third party operators, we are fortunate to have long-term relationships with our suppliers, many of whom we have worked with since Armadillo’s inception. This enduring, mutually beneficial relationship has allowed us to have better visibility with how they operate and support them as they implement ever-improving standards of quality control, health and safety, and sustainability.
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B Corp Month
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Photography
Courtesy of Armadillo
