EV charging network Zest has announced its certification as a B Corp.
Zest has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, as having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.
The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’ operations and covers five key impact areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.
Through a rigorous certification process, applicants are required to reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency.
To complete the certification, the company embedded their commitment to purpose beyond profit in their company articles.
Zest is now part of a community of 6,810 businesses globally who have certified as B Corps. The B Corp community in the UK includes well-known brands such as The Guardian, innocent, Patagonia, The Body Shop and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole.
Robin Heap, Zest CEO, said: “We formed Zest to accelerate the UK public’s access to EV charging, driven by our determination to make a tangible difference to climate change.
“The only way to get the public on board is to invest in abundant EV charging that fits with people’s lives and to manage it as long-term strategic infrastructure. We believe that with Zest’s growth comes even greater responsibility to lead as a force for good, and from day one we’ve built a careful balance between people, planet, and profit.”
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, says “We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from startups to multinationals and across many different industries.
“Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector. Welcoming Zest is an exciting moment because this is an opportunity to lead the way within the EV industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support Zest in paving the way for a new way of doing things”.
Image courtesy of Zest
